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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 








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''They re«;t from their labmirs: and their work? do follow them," 

—Key, xiy. 13= 

These grand men of God labored to restore primitiTe Christianit}', 
The sermons and addresses of this book are a part of the "works that 
follow them:" being prompted by the same unselfish spirit that 
actuated them in their heroic efforts to exalt Jesus and His church. 



TWENTIETH CENTURY 



SERMONS 



AND 



ADDRESSES 



Being a Series of Practical and Doctrinal 
Discourses by Some of our Repre- 
sentative Men and Women. 



ILLUSTRATED. 



EDITED BY 

LOUIS C. WILSON, 

Author of "History of Sprinkling," "A Great Cloud of Witnesses/^ etc 
With an Introduction by 

J. A. LORD, 

Editor of the ** Christian Standard/^ 
**Go . . . preach the gospel to every creature/'— e/^SMS. 



CINCINNATI, O. 

THE STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

I902. 



■p=,XT3>a7 



The i--:BWi^"RV'6f? 

CONGRESS, 

T^j CCiPics RtOSIVED 

cuAse cu xxc. No. 

^s- I ^ h> 
Gory B. 



Copyrighted, 1902, by 
The Standard Publishing Company, 



DEDICATION. 



/ii m^ ^tlB, 



IV/io, witJi the gentleness of affection and true companionships 
has been, and is, my comfort and joy, and 

Who believe The Book, 

This volume is ??tost affectionately dedicated 
By the Editor. 



PREFACE 



Nothing gives me more joy than the thought of leav- 
ing behind, something that will tell the '"old, old story," 
after my career shall have been wound to a close. " I am 
debtor both to the wise and to the unwise." This book 
pays a part of the debt. If God spares my life, I will 
make another payment ere long. In giving this volume 
to the public, I have but one regret ; viz. : that my part 
of the work is not better performed. Furnishing so 
many articles on kindred subjects, I found it difficult to 
avoid repetition. I have not studied to be learned, nor 
to express thoughts in glowing language, but to be sim- 
ple, plain and true to the truth. He who reads to criti- 
cise, will waste his time, for I forewarn him there is room 
for criticism. Criticisms are rather complimentary than 
otherwise. The inspired writing has been severely re- 
viewed. It is better understood because of it. 

To my contributors who responded so cheerfully to my 
call to aid, without remuneration by me, in this good 
work, I extend my unfeigned thanks. May these splen- 
did sermons and addresses of yours add stars to your 
crowns. And may God keep you all, and at last present 
you faultless before His throne, to enjoy the societ}^ of 
many who may be brought to Christ by this labor of love. 

Editor. 




J. A. Lord, 

Editor Christian Standard, 
Cincinnati, O. 



INTRODUCTION. 

The purpose of this volume of sermons, addresses and 
biographical sketches is so obvious that any extensive in- 
troduction would be entirely unnecessary. It bears the 
imprint of the open, direct and earnest personality of the 
men whose convictions and aspirations it expresses. It 
fulfills an apostolic condition — "We believe, therefore we 
speak. ' ' 

The men and women whose utterances are here tran- 
scribed are members of a vigorous and growing ministry, 
further removed from professionalism than any other body 
of religious teachers who have any considerable influence 
in the civilized world. There is not a clerical note from 
start to finish. Here are disciples of our Lord dealing 
with life's problems, and measuring the world by the 
principles of their Master's teaching and life. 

No doctrine, no duty, is viewed in a partisan or sec- 
tarian light. These men and women are simply Christian 
believers, determined that in their testimony our holy 
religion shall be duly honored, and Christ preached as the 
world's only Saviour. 

The reader will not fail to note that these writers deal 
entirely with the verities of Christianity ; their faith is 
unfeigned ; their confidence in the power of the gospel to 
save sinners is perfect ; their dependence m the inspired 
Word, in the living church and in the Holy Spirit abiding 
in believers is complete. They connect great ends with 
simple, direct spiritual forces. The subtleties of specula- 
tive theology and the terms of egoistic pietism are left to 
those who delight in such vain imaginings. These authors 



xii. INTRODUCTION CONCLUDED. 

are plain people, with the plain, simple message that finds 
its full meaning in the ministry of Christ for the redemp- 
tion of the world. 

In all that is here written there is not a word that 
would cast the slightest doubt upon the authority of the 
Scriptures or the all-sufificiency of Christ to meet every 
need and solve every problem of humanity. This is a 
book to promote faith in Christ, and love toward God and 
man. Its general circulation would make for the increase 
of spiritual knowledge, the edifying of saints and the 
union of believers on the divinely furnished foundation 
and the consequent conversion of the world. 

J. A. Lord. 
Cincinnati, O., Oct. 3, 1902. 




F. D. POAVER, 
"Washington, D. C. 



FREDERICK D. POWER 

Was born Jan. 23, 1851, near Yorktown, Va. He en- 
tered Bethany College in September, 1868, and gradu- 
ated in June, 1871. Was ordained to the ministry in 
October, 1871. He spent some time in preaching for 
country churches in eastern Virginia, then took charge 
of the Church of Christ in Charlottesville, Va. Was 
married to Miss Emily B. Alsop, of Fredericksburg, Va., 
March 17, 1874. In September, 1874, he was called to be 
assistant Professor of Ancient Languages in Bethany 
College. Took the pastorate of Vermont Avenue Church 
of Christ, Washington, D. C, September, 1875, which im- 
portant place he has continuously served since that time. 
Bro. Power was for seven years President Garfield's 
pastor. Was elected to the office of chaplain of the 
House of Representatives by acclamation for the Forty- 
seventh Congress. The degrees of M. A. and LL. D. 
were conferred upon him by Bethany College. Has served 
as president of the American Christian Missionary So- 
ciety and Trustee of the United Society of Christian En- 
deavor, and for twenty years has been president of the 
Maryland Christian Missionary Society. 

Bro. Power's position at the Capital of the nation, 
and his relation to the late President Garfield, who was a 
member of his congregation, in those trying scenes cul- 
minating in his death, brought him before a much larger 
circle than that of his own brethren. He has wrought 
a work in Washington which few men could have ac- 
complished. 



TWENTIETH CENTURY 



THE TRINITIES. 

FREDERICK D. POWER, D. D. 

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I 
preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye 
stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I 
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered 
unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died 
for bur sins according to the scriptures ; and that he was buried ; 
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." — 
I. Cor. XV. 1-4. 

It is by no means a fanciful thought that the main 
facts and teachings of Scripture are presented to us under 
the form of trinities — groups consisting of three import- 
ant constituents. We do not wonder at this interesting 
fact when our experience with, everything outside of the 
Bible brings us constantly into contact with triune divis- 
ions of things. In the world of nature we have the three 
kingdoms, animal, vegetable and mineral. In matter we 
have existence under three forms, solid, liquid and gase- 
ous. In our own being we have body, soul and spirit. In 
the heavens we have sun, moon and stars ; and in the 
earth, air, land and sea. 

In approaching the revelation of God in His word we 
are prepared to notice the same exhibition of three in 
one, and even the most sublime and essential elements of 
Christianity developed and exhibited in a succession of 
trinities.^ 

1. Whether the word '' trinity " be Scriptural or not, 
and we discard the expression "The Trinity " because of 
its unscripturalness, it still expresses the thought of this 
peculiar division as seen in the three distinct persons in 
the unity of the Godhead. Of this one fact we are sure, 
the sacred Oracles teach that the one living and true God 
is in some inexplicable manner triune, for He is spoken of 
as one in some respects and as three in others. Address- 
ing Himself in the creation, God said : " Let us make man 
in our image, after our likeness." Our Lord declared: 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 3 

"If any man love me, he will keep my commandments, 
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, 
and make our abode with him." Sending forth his dis- 
ciples. He commanded: "Go ye therefore and teacn all 
nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and 
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." Of Christ, John 
declares: "In the bee^inning was the Word, and the 
Word was with God, and the Word was God." Of the 
Holy Spirit, Peter affirms in his rebuke of Ananias: 
"Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy 
Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." 
The apostolic benediction proclaimed: "The grace of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion 
of the Holy Spirit be with you all." "There are three 
that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the 
Holy Spirit, and these three are one." 

Here is a mystery, the stupendous mystery of the 
Christian religion, the ineffable mystery of three persons 
in one God. We can not define it. Every human attempt 
at definition involves it in deeper mystery. The arith- 
metic of heaven is beyond us. Yet this is no more mys- 
terious and inexplicable than the trinity of our own 
nature, body, soul and spirit ; and no man has ever shown 
that it involved a contradiction or in any way conflicted 
with the testimony of our senses or with demonstrated 
truth ; and we must accept it by the power of a simple 
faith, or rush into tritheism on the one hand or Unitarian- 
ism on the other. 

2. Going still further into the examination of this 
arrangement of trinities, we take the divine Person men- 
tioned in our text, Christ, the second Person of the God- 
head. At once there comes before us the trinity of offices 
filled by our Lord — prophet, priest and king. Man could 
not be saved unless in one divine Person all three of these 
should be combined. Christ could not be the Christ if 
God were not all three of these dignities and glories 
united in His single person. 

Prophet He was, typified by all the illustrious person- 
ages of the Hebrew race, the Oracle, the Teacher, the 
Spokesman for God who should make known the fullness 



4 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

of revelation, and that to all mankind. "God, who at 
sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past 
unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days 
spoken unto us by his Son. " Priest He was, the only and 
all-sufficient Priest of the Christian Church. None other 
can stand between man and his God. None other can ex- 
ercise sacerdotal functions except in the sense that all 
Christians are kings and priests unto God. *A priest is 
He, foreshadowed faintly by the servants of the Jewish 
sanctuary ; yet more beautifully adorned than the family 
of Aaron in all the splendid robes of the temple, more 
glorious in communications than the mysteriously glow- 
ing Urim and Thummim on the high priest's ephod before 
the mercy-seat, more potent in intercession than all the 
priesthood under the law, seeing that He offered Himself 
on the altar, and opened up a new and living way into the 
very Holy of holies by His own blood of atonement. 
"This one, because he continueth forever, hath an uq- 
changeable priesthood, wherefore he is able to save unto 
the uttermost them that come unto the Father by him." 
"Such an high priest became us, holy, harmless, unde- 
filed, separate from sinners, and made higher than the 
heavens, who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to 
offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the 
people's, for this he did once when he offered up himself. " 
King He was, ho Christos, the Christ, the Anointed of God. 
"I have set my Kingupon my holy hill of Zion. " "Blessed 
and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. " 
All-glorious, all-powerful, all-governing, He reigns over 
His people and over all the earth. "God hath highly ex- 
alted him and given him a name that is above every name, 
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of 
things in heaven and things on earth and things under 
the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus is 
the Christ, unto the glory of God the Father." 

Thus the Christ is invested with a triune power. In 
one Being these three offices meet in their perfection, and 
we accept Him in all His glory, personal and official. 

3. Then the doctrine of Christ, the facts which consti- 
tute the gospel, are unfolded to us in a trinity. Three 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 5 

distinct facts are here: First, that "Christ died for our 
sins according to the scriptures ; " second, that "he was 
buried ; " and third, that He "arose again the third day 
according to the scriptures." It is not possible to meas- 
ure the infinite import of these three facts. There would 
be no gospel without them, no salvation, no proof of the 
divinity of Jesus, no ground of faith. The gospel is the 
power of God unto salvation ; not faith, not repentance, 
not baptism, not hope, not love. We are saved by Jesus 
Christ, and the action which saved us is set forth in these 
facts — the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. 

Too often men make the mistake in supposing their 
salvation is secured, not by what they believe, but by the 
fact that they do believe ; not by the facts of the gospel, 
but by the feelings of ecstasies of their own natures ; not 
by the Son of G-od and His personal service, but by their 
apprehension of the truth of the gospel and tacit accept- 
ance of its teaching. In other words, they substitute a 
saving faith for a saving gospel, and find the proof of 
pardon in the revulsion of feeling in their own hearts 
rather than in the express declaration of God's word. 
Was it so with these Corinthians ? The gospel which 
Paul preached unto them, which they also received, 
wherein they stood, and by which they were saved, con- 
sisted of the facts of the death, burial and resurrection of 
the Messiah. Without the death of Christ the gospel 
could not be begun. The shedding of blood was necessary 
to remission of sins. Expiation, atonement must be 
made that the sinner may be saved from punishment. 
Some one must be wounded for our transgressions, 
bruised for our iniquities. God's justice must be satis- 
fied, God's honor vindicated. Man's conscience must be 
pacified, man's sins pardoned. So the Son died. The 
cross was an element of the gospel. Without the burial 
of Christ the gospel would not be complete. The prophecy 
must be fulfilled : "He made his grave with the wicked 
and with the rich in his death." By our Lord the tomb 
has been forever sanctified. The valley of the shadow of 
death becomes the valley of the opening of life. Death, 
instead of being the jailor of hell and the grave, becomes 



6 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the porter of heaven. All that he can now do is to cause 
the Christian to sleep in Jesus, to release the immortal 
spirit from the fetters which bind it to earth, and deposit 
the weary body in the tomb. The grave is an element of 
the gospel. Without the resurrection the gospel would 
not be perfected. Before this great consummation the 
gospel is not proclaimed save in promise. The fullness of 
the glad tidings is not realized. The kingdom of heaven 
is preached as at hand. Not until the long-tied bands of 
the grave are broken, the stone rolled from the mouth of 
the sepulchre, and the newly risen One walks forth into 
the garden, is the divinity of Jesus proven and the sub- 
limest revelation of God complete ; not until then does the 
glorious King of kings appear with all authority in heaven 
and in earth, and say to His representatives: "Go ye 
into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature ; 
he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he 
that believeth not shall be condemned. " 

Hence the resurrection is the demonstration of the gos- 
pel. " If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, 
and your faith is also vain ; ye are yet in your sins." 
Hence the apostles, in going forth to convert the world, 
were to lay this down as the foundation of their preach- 
ing, that Jesus Christ was raised from the' dead that all 
men might believe on and obey Him. Hence the resurrec- 
tion is essential to the confirmation of the faith of Chris- 
tians in His persjn, seeing that He is " declared to be the 
Son of God, with power according to the spirit of holiness 
by tue resurrection from the dead, " demonstrating the 
truth of the Word, " Thou art my Son, this day have I 
begotten thee," and of the promise, '' I will give thee the 
sure mercies of David. " Hence the resurrection is a most 
pregnant proof of the all-sufficiency of His satisfaction : 
''He was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justi- 
fication." Hence on the fact of the resurrection is built 
our faith in His promise to give life and glory ; for how 
could we believe Him to be the Author of life who remained 
under the power of death ? Would not all hope have been 
buried in His grave ? And is not His resurrection the 
cause, pattern and argument of ours ? And rising Him- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 7 

self to glory, honor and immortality, does He not raise 
His people also with Him ? 

What a glorious truth is here ! The heathen sorrowed 
without hope. The Jews had only vague assurance of a 
resurrection. The myth of the Phenix was but a myth. 
A shattered pillar ; a ship gone to pieces ; a race lost ; a 
harp lying on the ground with snapped strings, its music 
gone ; a flower-bud crushed with all its fragrance in it — ■ 
these were the sad utterances of a hopeless grief. The 
thought that death was the gateway of life came not 
to cheer the parting or brighten the sepulchre. But look 
at the grassy mounds in the light of this truth. Resurgent! 
The eye of faith sees them change into a field sown thick 
with the seeds of immortality. Blessed field ! what flow- 
ers shall spring there ! What a wild shout shall be the 
harvest-home of a resurrection day ! In neighboring 
fields, "Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also 
reap ; " but here what a difference between that which is 
sown amid mourners' tears and that which shall be reaped 
amid angel joys ! — between the poor body we return to 
the earth and the noble form that shall spring from its 
ashes ! Lazarus' putrid corpse with health glowing on 
its cheek is nothing to the change that then shall be 
wrought in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the 
last trump. From east and west, from north and south, 
the armies gather. Yesterday, bones, carcasses, rotten- 
ness, worms, corruption, dust — to-day, multitudes in glori- 
fied and immortal bodies, thronging the many mansions of 
the Father's house. 

The death, the burial, the resurrection of Jesus — these 
are the three facts of the gospel. The mere existence of 
these facts, however, does not save men. The mere ad- 
mission that they are true does not secure the end that 
God designed. In order that this may be done, they must 
be received ; every man must actually and truly appropri- 
ate them to himself. Practically it is as important to 
understand how the gospel may be received as it is to un- 
derstand the nature and component parts of the gospel, 
for what is the gospel to a man if it be not received by 
him ? What are the Bible, the church, the pardon of sin 



8 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the death of Christ, all the sublime facts and teachings of 
the Christian religion, if personally and receptively a man 
knows them not ? 

4. This brings us to another trinity — the reception of 
the gospel involves obedience to three distinct precepts. 
We must truly and heartily believe the gospel, honestly 
and sincerely repent of our sins, and actually and formally 
accept it by a reverent and obedient baptism. Thus the 
understanding recognizes and accepts the gospel as true, 
the affections delight in and embrace it as good, the will 
obeys it and approves it as right. The records of the Acts 
of the Apostles and the Epistles to the churches make 
clear the essentiality of this triune obedience. After con- 
forming to these three precepts, and not before, men 
are regarded as having come into fellowship with Christ 
and His church. Paul, writing afterward in allusion to 
the doctrine of the gospel as he had delivered it, declares : 
"I thank God that ye have obeyed from the heart the 
form of doctrine which was delivered unto you ; being 
then made free from sin, ye became the servants of right- 
eousness. " What was the doctrine? The death, burial 
and resurrection of Christ. And what was the form or 
type of this doctrine ? Death to sin, burial with Christ 
by baptism, a resurrection in the likeness of His rising to 
walk in newness of life? To the people, on Pentecost, 
Peter preached this trinity of facts — how Christ died for 
our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and. 
rose again ; and the three thousand rendered this trinity 
of obedience; they believed, and were commanded to 
*' repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for 
the remission of sins. " ''And as many as gladly received 
the word were baptized, and the same day there were 
added unto them about three thousand souls. ' ' As Chris t 's 
death, Christ's burial, and Christ's resurrection must be 
all assured facts, so of human obedience there must be no 
uncertainty, no contingency, no doubt whatever that all 
the elements in the trinity of our acceptance are complete. 
The apostles recognized no man as fully obedient to the 
gospel and worthy to be enrolled in the church until obe- 
dience to all three of these precepts had been rendered. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 9 

Is not the gospel the same in our day ? Are not the terms 
of acceptance unchanged ? 

5. Receiving now the trinity of facts in a trinity of 
obedience, we have a triune blessing. We are " saved," 
or receive the "remission of sins," the " gift of the Holy 
Spirit," and the hope of eternal life. This is the trinity 
of blessings which Heaven bestows on the Christian. 
First Christ comes, takes away his sins, purifies his heart, 
pacifies his conscience, assures him of the wiping out of 
his past record. Then the Spirit is given, enlightens, 
comforts, sanctifies, gladdens, directs, strengthens, and 
takes up His abode within him. 

Then in view of the brevity of human life, of the pain 
which the thought of losing this new-born joy must bring, 
he fills the Christian with the assured hope of an ever- 
lasting life, of higher joys, of richer glories, of more 
abundant delights, of sweeter friendships, of more lasting 
rewards which shall be developed out of these present 
gifts of the gospel. Oh, what happiness 1 Who can 
refuse it ? Who does not long for it ? Where is there a 
heart in all the world that does not in serious reality 
hunger and thirst for this blessing which the gospel alone 
pretends to give ? 

6. But there is more. Out of this trinity of blessings 
grows another trinity — a trinity of responsibilities. In 
the gospel which we have received we are to stand, and 
three principles are necessary to standing — faith, hope 
and love. All Christian living is marked and covered by 
this trinity of conduct. Faith here is the growth, devel- 
opment, continuance of the seed-faith which embraces the 
gospel. It is the daily looking to Jesus, the seeing of 
Him that is invisible. Hope here is the carrying forward 
and upward of the original hope, the strengthened and 
matured form of that assurance received when the. condi- 
tions of salvation were accepted. That was a joy, a glad- 
ness ; this is a stimulus, a safeguard. That was an 
evidence that we had been saved from our past sins ; this 
is a power that keeps us forever from being lost. Love is 
the climax of this trinity. Love is the end of the com- 
mandment. Love is the active principle of our standing 



10 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

which embraces all practice of Christianity toward God 
and man. Faith looks up, hope reaches up, love climbs 
up. So, looking steadfastly, hoping constantly, loving 
fully, we can only stand and wait all the days of His ap- 
pointed time till our change come. 

7. One more trinity, and the saved soul shall stand in 
the presence of the ever-adorable Trinity of the Godhead : 
Glory, honor, immortality I By degrees the Christian 
has come higher and higher. Body, soul and spirit 
touched and overshadowed by the great facts of the gos- 
pel — the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus — brought 
into entire harmony with these by obedience to three 
great precepts — faith, repentance and baptism — and kept 
in preparation and expectancy by three great conditions — 
faith, hope and love — are ready for transfiguration, trans- 
lation into the presence of the Most High. Glory is the 
supernal brightness the Father bestows, honor the re- 
nown of victory won by the Christian soldier on hard- 
/ought fields, immortality the deathless bliss of a deathless 
being in the presence of the throne ! 

Now see in all these trinities a climacteric effect. All 
three are essential in every case to the perfectness of the 
unity which they form, and the last is absolutely neces- 
sary to crown the series. God is goodness, wisdom, 
power. His goodness might influence Him to create, His 
wisdom devise the universe, but must not His power be 
exercised to perfect His work ? The Father of our spirits 
is all that is expressed in the address, " Our Father which 
art in heaven ; " the Son is all that is set forth in the 
name " Immanuel ; " but must not the Spirit come to re- 
veal to us the Father and the Son ? In Christ as Prophet 
He is the teacher sent from God, in Christ as Mediator He 
is the High Priest of our profession, but are these any- 
thing without His kingly dignity and power by which He 
rules and reigns in the midst of His enemies? In the gos- 
pel His death and burial are glorious, stupendous facts, 
but without the resurrection what are they ? He is not 
the Son of God, His sacrifice is vain, our faith also is 
vain. In our acceptance of the gospel, " without faith it 
is impossible to please God," and except men repent they 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 11 

must perish, but without obedience can we have the full 
assurance of pardon? "Faith without works is dead." 
We are "baptized into Christ," "baptized into his 
death." So the command to believers was, " Repent, and 
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ 
for the remission of sins," and to the believing penitent, 
"Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, call- 
ing upon the name of the Lord." , In the unit called sal- 
vation the remission of past sins is a blessing, the gift of 
the Holy Spirit is a greater blessing, but what would 
either or both of these be without the third, the hope of 
eternal life ? In the trinity of Christian living, faith is 
nothing, hope is nothing without love. This is the cli- 
max. "Though I have the tongues of men and of angels, 
and have not love, I am as sounding brass and a tinkling 
cymbal." "And now abideth faith, hope, love; and the 
greatest of these is love." Heaven, glory, what is that? 
Honor — what joy can it bring without immortality ? It 
is for an eternity we want these joys and splendors — not 
for a century, a lifetime, a decade, a year, or a day! 

So, passing through the whole series in every case, ac- 
cepting all and doing all, we shall receive all. Is the 
measure full with you, my friend? In the trinity of 
obedience is there one thing left undone? Fulfill your 
duty. The completion of the joy, the certainty of the 
assurance, depends upon the perfectness of your obedi- 
ence, the perfectness of your service. 

Washington, D. C. 




F. M. Rains, 

Corresponding Secretary F. C. M. S., 
Cincinnati, O. 



SEEMONS AXB ADDRESSES, 15 



F. M. RAINS. 

F. M. Rains was born in Grant County, Ky., May 7, 
1854. He was baptized by W. K. Azbill in October, 1871; 
was educated at Harrisburg Academy, Columbia Chris- 
tian College, and Kentucky University, finishing the 
English Bible Course, June, 1878. For two years following 
he taught in Corinth Academy, Corinth, Ky., while 
preaching every Lord's Day. In 1880 he located at Win- 
field, Kan., preaching for the church about two years, 
then took the church at Leavenworth, Kan., for a time, 
when he was elected corresponding secretary of the 
Kansas Missionary Society. From this position he be- 
came the first secretary of the Board of Church Exten- 
sion. For the past ten years he has been in the serviee 
of the Foreign Christian Missionary Society. During all 
these years he has dedicated a great many churches, prob- 
ably as many as any man of his age. 

The subject of this sketch is a most genial and com- 
panionable Christian gentleman. His colloquial powers 
are well developed, making him the light and joy of your 
home while he remains. In the pulpit he is master of 
the situation, and carries you into rich fields of thought, 
which he puts in appropriate Scripture settings of beauty 
and truth. The gospel is his theme. He has no time to 
run after strange gods. The Book of God is enough. 
In addition to the arduous duties connected with the For- 
eign Missionary Office, he is in the pulpit almost every 
Lord's Day. Bro. Rains is a busy man, and prosecutes 
his work to the overtaxing of his physical strength. His 
late visit to the foreign field was partly to recuperate his 
wasting energes, and partly to become better acquainted 
with the mission work in the field. In both respects his 
tour was a success. 




16 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 17 



THE GOSPEL IN JAPAN. 

F. 31. RAINS. 
Text.— "The isles shall wait for his law."— Isa. xlii. 4. 
The poetical title by which the Japanese designate 
their country is, "The Land of the Rising Sun," which 
well describes its location as the eastern of all Asiatic 
empires, and their national emblem represents the sun 
rising out of the sea. This intensely interesting land 
embraces four large islands and over 3,500 smaller ones. 
The total length of the country is about 1,600 miles, and 
its greatest breadth is a little more than 200 miles. Its 
area is about equal to that of California, and has been 
fittingly designated as the " Island Empire. " 

The Catholics undertook mission work in Japan about 
the middle of the sixteenth century. The new faith was 
regarded with favor for a time. Soon, for reasons of 
state, an effort was made by the authorities to completely 
drive the Christians from the land. Then followed one of 
the bloodiest chapters in church history. 

The land was hermetically sealed against all outsiders 
until 1854, when our own Commodore Perry opened the 
country to trade and the gospel without bloodshed. 
Many efforts had been made to open intercourse by the 
representatives of different nations, but without success. 
Armed with four warships and a friendly letter from 
President Fillmore, Commodore Perry steamed into 
Yeddo Bay, July 8, 1853. Leaving the letter with the 
proper officials, he sailed away, July 17, to China, where 
the Taiping Rebellion was then raging. When he left he 
stated that he would return for an answer to the letter. 
On the 13th of February, 1854, he returned to Yeddo Bay 
with a fleet of ten ships to receive an answer to the Pres- 
ident's letter. The result was that a treaty was signed, 
March 31, 1854, and was immediately sent to Washington 
for ratification. . 



18 TWENTIE TH CENT UR Y 

At the time of the execution of this memorable docu- 
ment there was no outside trade with Japan. All the 
larger ships belonging to the empire, those able to ride 
the sea, had been destroyed, that no one in the country 
might go out. The country was fortified and guarded 
that those outside might not come in. At this time there 
was no Bible, no printing-press, no railroads, no tele- 
graph wires, no public schools, no postal system, no con- 
stitutional government, no faith in Christ, no hope and 
no progress. Let us observe what has been accomplished 
in less than half a century. 

The first missionaries entered Japan in 1859. For sev- 
eral years little could be done. When the gospel was 
mentioned men would place their hands on their throats 
to indicate the great danger of discussing such a subject. 
It was impossible to secure an audience to hear the gos- 
pel. Now 3^ou can stop almost anywhere in the land and 
have a crowd around you at once to hear the gospel. For 
more than two hundred years the penalty of confessing 
Christ was capital punishfnent. For a long time there 
were edicts published everywhere against Christianity. 
As late as 1868 a new edict was placed on the bulletin 
boards as follows: "The evil sect called Christians is 
strictly prohibited. Suspected persons are to be reported 
to the respective officials, and rewards will be given." 
And even later than this it was a crime to sell a Bible. 
For many years after Perry's treaty was signed, the gos- 
pel was not tolerated. In 1871 a Japanese and his wife 
were arrested and sent to prison at dead of night upon 
being suspected of beiug Christians at heart. They had 
not been baptized. That arrest and imprisonment led to 
the repealing of the edicts against Christianity through 
the intervention of the United States Government. 

When in Tokio, the capital city, in 1901, in the Im- 
perial Museum I saw an engraving representing Christ on 
the cross. It is bronze fastened on wood. They have as 
dark a history as the world has ever known. Francis 
Xavier opened a Catholic mission in Japan in the middle 
of the sixteenth century. There were soon tens of thou- 
sands of believers. The Government went to work to 




FUNASAKA O' InO SaN, 
Our first convert in Japan. 



19 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 21 

drive the new faith from the laud. The persecution which 
followed has never been surpassed for cruelty. I saw 
lofty rocks from which the Christians were hurled. There 
is a memorial church near the spot now. Some were 
buried alive. Others were torn asunder by oxen, and still 
others were sewed up in rice-bags and Leaped into piles 
and set on fire. Some had spikes driven under the nails 
of their feet and hands. Others were imprisoned in the 
presence of food and permitted to die of .hunger. People 
had their backs slit open and boiling water poured on the 
raw flesh. Naked women were compelled to walk on 
their hands and feet through the streets. Some were 
hung by their feet over a deep pit. One girl lived in this 
position for days, and died in the faith. I went through 
Nagasaki, where many of these crimes were enacted. 
This city was the center of the awful persecution. An 
image of Christ on the cross was carried all over the city, 
and to prove that people were not believers, they were 
compelled to place their feet upon the cross. The image 
was carried from house to house. Many women and chil- 
dren were asked to set foot upon the cross. This came to 
be known as " trampling on the cross. " 

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Yano 
Riyu was the first Protestant convert, and he was bap- 
tized in October, 1864. It required ten years (1859-69) to 
make six converts. It is not an uncommon thing to bap- 
tize as many, and more, at a single service now. Until 
the spring of 1872 there were but ten baptized Christian 
believers. Thirteen years had now passed since the mis- 
sionaries first entered Japan. The first church was or- 
ganized in Japan, March 10, 1872, and consisted of eleven 
members. It was the result of the labors of different 
missionaries. It was called the "Church of Christ in 
Japan." At the organization the following was adopted: 
' Our church does not belong to any sect whatever ; it 
believes only in the name of Christ, in whom all are one. 
It believes that all who take the Bible as their guide, and 
who diligently study it, are the servants of Christ and 
our brethren. For this reason, all believers on the earth 
belong to the family of Christ in the bonds of brotherly 



22 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

love. " This sounds like the language of the Campbells 
and Scott and Stone seventy-five years ago. By the way, 
there are six branches of the Presbyterian body in Japan, 
but they are all known as the "Church of Christ in 
Japan." 

The whole number of -Protestant members now in the 
land is about 50,000. As you travel over the country you 
meet Christians everywhere. A distinguished Japanese 
gentleman told me in Japan that Christianity now had 
more moral influence than any other religion in the coun- 
try, and he is not a Christian. The two great religions 
are Buddhism and Shintoism. In 1900 there were 416 
churches, and of this number seventy-one are self-sup- 
porting. In that year there were 289 church buildings, 
worth $188,000. The number of Sunday-schools was 864, 
with 33,000 pupils enrolled. These figures but faintly 
represent all that has been done, and is being done. 

One of the most important steps taken in Japan was 
the translation and distribution of the Scriptures. Arch- 
bishop Longley once said: ''If I must choose, between 
sending the man without the Book or the Book without 
the man, then I say, send the Book without the man. 
The man has made mistakes, and may make mistakes, 
but the Book can make none." But in Japan we are not 
shut up to this alternative. The voice of the living 
preacher is heard all over the land, and the Book is also 
in the hands of the people, bearing faithful testimony for 
God. 

On the 19th of April, 1880, the completion of the 
translation of the New Testament was celebrated in 
Tokio. Portions of the New Testament had been trans- 
lated and distributed before this date. In the same city 
and in the same building the completion of the transla- 
tion of the Old Testament was celebrated Feb. 3, 1888. 
Dr. J. C. Hepburn devoted sixteen years to this task. 
In 1882 an organization was effected, known as the Scrip- 
ture Union, among the Japanese, pledging the members 
to a reading of a portion of Scripture every day. This 
organization soon had 12,. 300 members in more than eight 
hundred different places. A copy of an elegant Bible, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 23 

prepared for the various rulers of the earth by John Tap- 
pan, of Boston, was sent to Japan about 1860, but no op- 
portunity was given to present it to the emperor until 
twelve years later, when it was presented by the Ameri- 
can Minister. The first copies of the gospel were printed 
on blocks, which were cut secretly and kept hidden away, 
and complete books were delivered at night in small 
quantities, in order to avoid detection. Soon all restric- 
tion and fear passed away, and copies of the New Testa- 
ment were sold in great quantities. One missionary sold 
five hundred copies in one day. In 1892 as many as 
eighty-two Japanese men were engaged in selling the 
Scriptures. Bibles are now kept in the general book 
stores of the people, and in 1899 about 10,400 copies of 
the New Testament were sold in this way. From the 
first it was decided to sell the Scriptures, and not to give 
them away. This course was proven to be wise. 

It would be impossible to give an exact statement of 
the circulation of the Scriptures in Japan, but a conserva- 
tive estimate is that since the beginning there have been 
fully two millions of Bibles, Testaments and portions of 
Scripture distributed by sale or gift. The gifts, however, 
are exceptional. There can be no permanent missionary 
work if the word of God is not lodged in the hearts of 
the people. The Bible is the voice of the living God to 
men. It rules over the pulpit and presides at the family 
altar. It touches human life at every point from the 
cradle to the grave. At the beginning of the nineteenth 
century the Bible was a sealed book to eight out of ten 
men on earth, they not having it in their own language. 
Now it lies open more or less completely to seven out of 
every ten in the world. What a change ! In early days 
an English Bible cost about $150, or a day laborer's wages 
for fifteen years. Now an English Bible can be bought 
for fifteen cents, and a Japanese Testament for two cents. 
In 1900 the number of copies distributed in Japan was 
98,000, the largest number in anyone year. Let it be 
remembered, however, that at that rate it would take 
490 years to place a copy in the hands of each person in 
the little empire. It is easy to sell the Scriptures in 



24 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Japan. I saw our missionaries sell many copies on the 
train to fheir fellow passengers. The industrious mis- 
sionaries believe the promise of God: "My word that 
goeth forth out of my mouth shall not return unto me 
void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it 
shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it." 

As might be expected, other significant changes have 
been effected, changes that invariably follow the preach- 
ing of the Christ. These changes have to do with the 
civil, political, industrial and educational life of the 
people. Such changes never come before, but always 
follow, the gospel. 

For a long time the people of Japan had demanded 
representative government. As far back as 1868 His 
Imperial Majesty, when ascending the throne, promised : 
*'A deliberate assembly shall be formed and all measures 
shall be decided by public opinion." In 1878 provincial 
assemblies were established for deliberation and counsel 
only. In 1881 a constitution was definitely promised, 
which was promulgated Feb. 11, 1889. The first Diet of 
Imperial Congress met for organization in December, 
1890. The House of Representatives comprised 300 mem- 
bers, from as many election districts into which Japan 
proper had been divided. The House of Peers was made 
up of, first, priuces of the imperial blood. Second, 
princes (dukes) and marquises sitting by virtue of their 
rank. Third, representatives of thecouots, viscounts and 
barons elected by their respective orders. Fourth, one 
representative from each of the prefectures, chosen by 
the fifteen highest taxpayers from among their own num- 
ber. Fifth, eminent men from different walks of life, 
appointed directly by the emperor. 

From the first session of the Diet until the war with 
China in 1894, the contest for party supremacy was 
waged, sometimes much to the embarrassment of the 
Government. The war with China brought all parties into 
harmony, with a common determination to maintain the 
prestige of Japan. The Government received the enthu- 
siastic support of the entire people, and the successful 
outcome is well known. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 25 

There has been a recent change in the election laws 
which removes the property qualifications for membership 
in the Lower House. Other modifications of these laws 
materially increase the number of voters. 

Legal reforms in recent years have been seriously 
taken in hand. This was done with the aid of thoroughly 
competent foreign advisers, the value of whose services 
the Japanese gratefully recognize. The progress made 
has probably never been seen elsewhere within the same 
short space of time in all the world s history. Compe- 
tent jurists, both of the United States and Europe, have 
pronounced the criminal codes worthy of the highest 
commendation. The laws of the land are by no means 
perfect yet. They are being improved from time to time, 
and already, viewed as a whole, are an embodiment of a 
worthy conception of the relations of the individual to 
society and the state. 

One result of the war with China was the acquisition 
of Formosa and the Pescadores group, with a population 
estimated at three million. This new territory is held by 
Japan as a colony, with a view of its ultimate absorption 
as an integral part of the empire. There have been many 
difficulties in the way of the administration of the colo- 
nial government, some of the most serious being due to 
the lack of homogeneity in the population. Progress has 
been slow, and opinions differ as to the degree of success 
attained. Japanese, however, speak confidently of the 
future. This confidence is shared by some resident for- 
eigners. 

The national revenue has risen rapidly, especially since 
1891, when that derived from taxation stood at yen 103,- 
231,000. That for the fiscal year ending in April, 1900, 
was yen 236,715,000. A yen is equal to about one-half 
of the United States dollar. 

Few things better illustrate the material progress of 
the country than its manufacturing industries. In 1884 
the number of manufacturing companies recorded was 
379, with an aggregate capital of yen 5,048,299. In 1898 
there were 2,164 companies, with an aggregate capital of 
yen 122,066,653. In the same interval the number of com- 



26 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

mercial companies increased from 654, with a capital of 
yen 8,987,560, to 4,178, with a capital of yen 300,039,664. 
These figures and the industrial progress they indicate 
help to show the commercial importance of the '' Sunrise 
Kingdom." Transportation companies increased from 
204, with a capital of yen 6,891,544, to 536, with a capital 
of yen 197,233,421. None of these figures are indicative 
of greater benefit to Japan than those bearing upon trans- 
portation. They suggest how much has been done to 
bring the different provinces together, and all into close 
relation with the centers of national life. 

The splendid efforts of the state in the matter of gen- 
eral education have received and deserved the admiration 
of the world. The elementary schools have an attend- 
ance of 3,994,826 pupils ; the middle schools, 53,691 ; col- 
leges, 4,436, and the universities 2,225. Add to these the 
technical and special schools, and the forty-nine normal 
schools under state supervision, and the comprehensive- 
ness of the school system becomes impressive. Many private 
schools have also been established. And besides institu- 
tions of learning, there is great literary activity, and 
numerous societies and periodicals have for their aim the 
dissemination of knowledge and the elevation of the 
people. The contrast in this respect between Japan and 
her neighbor, China, is very great ; for in China the 
forces exercised in behalf of modern civilization by the 
state are insignificant. However, a public school system 
is now beinfif considered in some provinces in China, and 
the wide-awake Count Ito suggests that Japan can fur- 
nish all the well-equipped, up-to-date teachers needed. 
But China is likely to come to America for her leaders in 
modern education, when she is ready for such a step. 

The increased attendance at the universities and mid- 
dle schools is very marked, and it is said that the supply 
of such schools is not equal to the demand. In olden 
times the Shizoku (gentry) of Japan, together with the 
priests, possesses a monopoly of learning ; but since the 
inauguration of the public school system, the common 
people have been gradually advancing their claims to a 
share in that good gift. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 27 

Probably next to the school system in importance is 
the press. The printed page is already ubiquitous. It is 
stated that there is a daily paper in every city of the 
empire with a population of 25,000 or more, and there 
are many such cities. Almost all the papers are in the 
Japanese language. There are few papers in English, 
as in Yokohama, Tokio, Kobe. The aggregate circulation 
of all the newspapers and magazines in 1884 was 61, 162,- 
611 ; in 1898 the combined circulation rose to 464,458.141. 
The increase in the number of books published was cor- 
respondingly great. As a result of the public school and 
the press, many even among the lowly have come to take 
an interest in the politics of the west. Two coolies were 
recently heard discussing the questions at issue in an 
American Presidential campaign. 

The postal system of Japan is exceptionally good. 
There is free delivery everywhere. Rural free delivery 
reaches to the remotest and most out-of-the-way places 
of the entire country. In the cities the mail is delivered 
earlier in the morning and later at night than in America. 
For example, in Tokio, the capital, with a population of 
more than a million, you can mail a letter at eight o'clock 
at night and by 7:30 the next morning you may have a 
reply. Your letter may be carried several miles too. 
The telegraph and most of the railroads belong to the 
Imperial Grovernment. The telegraph rate is about one- 
half that of this country, and the payment for a message 
includes an eight-word reply free of charge. This service 
is very efficient. 

Only one shadow falls across the national life of Japan, 
and that is a military contest with Russia. This fear, it 
is believed, has led to much of the railroad building. 
The Government is putting itself in a position to land 
troops and supplies at any strategic position on the coast 
on short notice. And the military activities of the nation 
can hardly be accounted for on any other reasonable suppo- 
sition. Indeed, prominent Japanese have clearly indicated, 
if they have not said as much, that this is the meaning of 
the large standing army and comparatively strong navy. 
The army on a peace footing in 1891 was 41,000. It is 



28 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

now nearly 200,000. Soldiers may be seen everywhere, 
and the bugle-call will wake you at five o'clock in the 
morning almost anywhere in the whole land. The general 
military appearance, to say the least, is one of stubborn 
defense. The navy, in 1891, consisted of thirty vessels, 
aggregating 42,284 tons, with a force of 9,563 officers and 
men. Inl898 there were fifty- two vessels, aggregating 162,. 
181 tons, with 24,779 officers and men. The tonnage now 
actually at the disposal of the Government, it is stated 
on good authority, is about 200,000, while that for which 
provision has been made, will bring the total up to not 
far from 250,000 tons. In a word, Japan appreciates her 
position, and is likely to take good care of herself. 

The Japanese of to-day lives in a new world. He 
thinks new thoughts ; he is a new man. His sense of 
responsibility is increased ; his labor is more effective. 
Since the revolution of 1868 he has come in touch with 
the western spirit and life, and he has a larger view of his 
nation and of himself. Two new thoughts have laid firm 
hold upon him— the value of national unity, and the value 
of the individual. 

Japan is not redeemed yet. It is said that more than 
one-half of the population has never heard the gospel. 
Only a small beginning has been made. It is easy to see 
that 50,000 Christians, in a population of nearly 50,000,- 
000, is only a handful. It is only about one Christian to 
every thousand heathens. The number of missionaries 
in the whole country is only six hundred. We have only 
eighteen. Think of only six hundred preachers for about 
one-half the population of the United States. The har- 
vest indeed is ripe, but the laborers are few. Let us pray 
the Lord of the harvest to send forth more laborers into 
the harvest. Heathen temples and shrines are to be 
seen everywhere. Great temples are crowded with wor- 
shipers. We can make Japan Immanuel's land, if we will. 




James C. Creel, 

Plattsburg, Mo. 



SERMONS AND ADBEESSES. 31 



JAMES C. CREEL. 

James Cowherd Creel was born Apr. 13, 1846. on a farm 
in Green County, Ky., of poor but respectable parents, 
whose names were Henry Clay Creel and Elizabeth Creel. 
The mother's maiden name was Hatcher. At the age of 
seven years his father died after a long illness with con- 
sumption, leaving a widow and four little children, of 
which James was the oldest. All the earthly possessions 
of this family at the death of the father consisted of a few 
household goods and five dollars in money. 

James' parents were pious and devoted Baptists, and 
at the early age of thirteen he joined the Baptist Church; 
and when eighteen years old, having learned the way of 
the Lord more accurately, he gave up all denominational- 
ism and became a Christian only, belonging to the Church 
of Christ only ; and by this act he became identified with 
that religious body who, as individuals, are simply dis- 
ciples of Christ or Christians, and, as congregations, are 
simply churches of Christ, no more nor less. In other 
words, he ceased to be a Baptist, and ceased to belong to 
the Baptist Church by becoming a Christian only, and be- 
longing to the Church of Christ only. 

James' early opportunities for an education were lim- 
ited, as he had to support a widowed mother and help care 
for two younger brothers and a sister, which he did by 
daily labor as a farm-hand, only attending the winter ses- 
sions of the common schools. When nineteen years old he 
attended the high school one term, borrowing the money 
to pay board and tuition. After he married and had two 
children, he went to school two years ; one year to a 
select school, and one year toGilead Institute, at Canmer, 
Hart Co., Ky. These two years at school brought on an 
indebtedness which required ten years, while supporting 
a little family, to pay principal and interest. When James 
was born his mother earnestly prayed that her firstborn 
might become a preacher of the gospel. God heard that 



32 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

prayer, for when the son preached in the presence of that 
mother for the first time, she arose in the audience at the 
close of the sermon and exclaimed : " Thank God! the prayer 
that I have been praying for twenty-six years is answered to- 
day.'' 

On Oct. 28, 1868, the subject of this sketch, in his 
twenty-third year, was married to Miss Lucy F. G-ooch, 
near Monroe, Hart Co., Ky., who has been a faithful 
Christian wife for nearly thirty-four years. To them have 
been born six children — two sons and four daughters — all 
of whom have been reared to be grown men and women, 
and, so far, only one death, a son in his twenty-fourth 
year. 

On the first Lord's Day in October, 1871, at Gilead 
Church, Hart County, Ky., Bro. Creel preached his first 
sermon, on the text : *' Blessed are the pure in heart ; for 
they shall see God " (Matt. v. 8). In a few months after- 
ward he was ordained to the Christian ministry by fasting, 
prayers, and the laying on of hands ; immediately after 
which he located at Litchfield, Ky., taught school, and 
preached for the church and also a country congregation. 
After this he located at White Mills, taught a select school 
several terms, preached for the church and some other 
contiguous congregations, one Lord's Day each. He then 
gave up schoolteaching, and devoted his whole time to 
preaching, locating with the church at Sonora, where he 
spent five years, after which he located with and served 
each one of the churches at Glasgow and Henderson. In 
January, 1885, he accepted the work at Richmond, Mo., 
where he served the church two years, and then came to 
Plattsburg, Mo., his present home, where he has lived the 
past fifteen years, three years of which he served the 
church as its minister. 

On Jan. 1, 1888, he began the publication of the Church 
Register, which paper he conducted successfully ten years 
and seven months, making money each year. Being then 
threatened with nervous prostration, he sold out the 
paper, making enough money to buy a nice, comfortable 
home, free from all debt, where he now lives, reads, writes 
and preaches on the Lord's Day to near-by churches. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 33 

Bro. Creel is now (Apr. 13, 1902) fifty-six years old, 
weighs 220 pounds, is five feet eleven inches high, has 
dark, slightly gray hair, dark blue eyes, and in the very 
prime of life. He loves the simple gospel of Christ, and 
preaches it with force and acceptance, and, as a result of 
his thirty years of gospel ministry, more than two thou- 
sand persons have been induced to become Christians. He 
has held a number of debates with prominent Methodist 
and Baptist debaters, such men as W. C. Taylor, W. P. 
Throgmorton, Daniel B. Turney, A. M., and Jacob Ditzler, 
D. D., meeting the last-named gentleman four times. In 
the past few years he has not taken so much interest in 
religious debates, but is devoting his whole time to study- 
ing the Scriptures, reading from a well-selected library, 
writing, preaching, and holding protracted meetings. He 
loves the old Jerusalem gospel, and hopes yet to spend 
many years in faithfully preaching the same. 



34 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



THE PLEA TO RESTORE THE APOSTOLIC 
CHURCH. 

JAMES C. CREEL. 

In the early part of the nineteenth century, the fathers, 
Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, 
Walter Scott and others, began the reformatory or resto- 
ration movement, sometimes called the Current Reforma- 
tion. In this restoration movement it was sought to re- 
store the faith q,nd practice of the inspired apostles of 
Jesus the Christ, and thus reproduce the apostolic church. 
Hence, we have The Plea to Restore the Apostolic Church. 
This same matchless plea is made to-day by us, the chil- 
dren of the fathers, who claim to be simply disciples of 
Christ, or Christians only, and belong to the Church of 
Christ only. 

I. What Called Forth the Plea? The plea to re- 
store the apostolic church was called forth because of 
grave departure or falling away from "the faith which 
was once for all delivered unto the saints." Modern de- 
nominationaiism, with its warring sects and conflicting 
creeds, is proof that there has been serious departure from 
primitive Christianity. Furthermore, the apostle Paul 
clearly foretells of a coming departure or falling away 
from the faith in these words : " But the Spirit saith ex- 
pressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the 
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of 
demons, through the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, 
branded in their own conscience as with a hot iron ; for- 
bidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, 
which God created to be received with thanksgiving by 
them that believe and know the truth " (I. Tim. iv. 1-4).* 

Again the same apostle says: "Now we beseech you, 

brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

and our gathering together unto him ; to the end that ye 

be not quickly shaken from your mind, nor yet be troubled, 

♦Americanized Edition of the Revised Version is used- 



SER3WNS AND ADDRESSES. 35 

either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as 
that the day of the Lord is just at hand ; let no man be- 
guile you in any wise : for it will not be, except the falling 
away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son 
of perdition, he that opposethandexalteth himself against 
all that is called God or that is worshiped ; so that he sit- 
teth in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God " 
(II. Thess. ii. 1-4). 

It appears that this foretold " falling away " from the 
faith was to begin among the elders and teachers of the 
church as indicated in the words of Paul to the elders at 
Ephesus, and to Timothy. To the " elders "or " bishops " 
at Ephesus, he says : " Take heed unto yourselves, and to 
all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you 
bishops, to feed the church of the Lord that he purchased 
with his own blood. I know that after my departing 
grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the 
flock ; and from among your own selves shall men arise 
speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after 
them " (Acts xx. 17, 28-30). To Timothy, the apostle gives 
this solemn charge : *' I charge thee in the sight of God, 
and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the quick and the 
dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom ; preach tiie 
word ; be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, 
exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time 
will come when they will not not endure sound doctrine ; 
but having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers 
after their own lusts ; and will turn away their ears from 
the truth and turn aside unto fables " (II. Tim. iv. 1-4). 

II. The Apostolic Church. The word "church," in 
its New Testament use, means, first, in its limited sense, 
a local assembly or congregation called out ; an assembly 
of baptized believers called out, called of God by Christ 
through the gospel into the service and worship of God. 
In its more extended sense, the church means all the true 
disciples of Christ in the aggregate, all Christians, the 
whole body of Christ, the kingdom of heaven on earth. 
Christ said to Simon Peter : " Upon this rock I will build 
nil/ church " (Matt. xvi. 18). It is then Christ's church, or 
the church of Christ ; for he builded it. Christ builded 



36 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the church through the ministry of his inspired apostles. 
The apostle Paul speaks of himself " as a wise master- 
builder " in laying the foundation of " the church of God 
that is at Corinth " (I. Cor. i. 10). What is here true of 
Paul is evidently true of all the apostles, in that they were 
" wise mastar-builders " of the church of Christ. There- 
fore, Christ, through the preaching or ministry of the 
apostles, builded the church. Hence we have the apos- 
tolic church, which was founded by Christ through the 
inspired apostles. 

In the beginning the apostolic church, as founded by 
Christ, was in faith, doctrine, organization, government, 
worship, terms of administration, terms of fellowship and 
unity, just what He would have it be. Since Christ is the 
sole head and supreme lawgiver, there can be no additions 
to these things nor subtractions therefrom. What Christ 
has done, and what He has done through His inspired 
apostles, needs no improvement, and can not be improved 
upon. 

The faith of the apostolic church was faith in the 
Christ. Its doctrine was the preaching and teaching of 
the inspired apostles, who taught all things whatsoever 
commanded by the Christ. Its organization consisted 
solely in the organization of the local congregation ; and 
these local congregations were called ' ' churches of Christ ' ' 
(Rom. xvi. 16). Its government was wholly congrega- 
tional, in which the revealed law of Christ was supreme 
in all things. Each congregation or local church was 
composed of "saints," "bishops" or "elders" and 
"deacons" (Phil. i. 1), in which the bishops or elders 
took the oversight, ruled and taught the congregation, 
while the deacons were the servants. Its worship was 
the simple worship of the Father in spirit and in truth 
through the Christ, the one mediator between God and 
man. Its terms of admission were faith in Christ, re- 
pentance, confession and baptism ; or being born again, 
"born of water and the Spirit." Christ gives the terms 
or law of admission in these words : "Except a man be 
born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God" (John iii. 5). Its only terms of fellow- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 37 

ship were faith in the Christ and obedience to Him in all 
things. Its unity consisted of a spiritual oneness of all 
those in Christ ; a oneness in the faith which is in Christ 
and the doctrine taught by Christ through His inspired 
apostles. 

To get before the mind fully and clearly just what the 
plea to restore the apostolic church does mean, it will be 
well, in the first place, to learn what the plea does not 
mean ; and then clearly see what the plea does mean. In 
this way a full presentation of the subject can be made. 

HI. What the Plea Does Not Mean. 1. The plea 
to restore the apostolic church does not mean simply a 
reformation of some church, or " the church." The orig- 
inal church of Christ, the apostolic church, in faith and 
doctrine, needs no reformation. Therefore, the plea to 
restore the apostolic church does not mean simply a 
reformation. 

2. The plea does not mean another church, or some 
new church. There are too many churches of the kind 
already, and new churches at that. The religious world, 
to-day, is burdened with the modern sectarian churches. 
What the world needs now is the one old church, the 
original church of Christ, in all its primitive faith and 
doctrine. Therefore, the plea does not mean another 
church, or some new church. 

3. The plea does not mean another denomination or 
sect. All denominationalism or sectarianism is exceed- 
ingly sinful before G-od, and positively forbidden by His 
word ; and, like all other sins, it must be repented of and 
forever abandoned. All denominationalism is wholly sub- 
versive of the unity of the one body of Christ, the one 
apostolic church. The original church of Christ was not 
a denomination or a sect. In the very nature of things, 
those who make the plea to restore the apostolic church 
who claim to be Christians only and belong to the church 
of Christ only, can never be a denomination or a sect. 
Therefore, the plea does not mean another denomination 
or sect. 

4. The plea does not mean another human creed, 
human confession of faith or human rule of faith and 



38 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

practice. All human creeds, confessions of faith and 
books of discipline are divisive, and have produced all the 
denominations or sects that have rent the church of God. 
For instance, take up auy one of the leading creeds or 
confessions of faith of modern denominationalism, and 
just count the different kinds of parties or denominations 
produced by that particular creed which can be counted 
by the scores, yes, even by the hundreds. Every human 
creed, human confession of faith or human rule of faith 
and practice, as a bond of union and communion among 
professed Christians, is a subversion of the law of Christ 
and a reflection upon divine wisdom. Therefore, the plea 
does not mean another human creed, human confession of 
faith or human rule of faith and practice. 

' IV. What the Plea Does Mean. 1. The plea to re- 
store the apostolic church means a restoration. It means 
a complete return " to original ground, and take up things 
just as the apostles left them," and thus reproduce or re- 
store New Testament Christianity in all things. It means 
the going back beyond all human creeds, decrees of popes, 
councils, synods, assemblies and associations, to Christ 
and the inspired apostles, and restore all things wherein 
there has been departure or apostasy. The plea means 
the rejection of all human imitations, and the restoration 
of the divine model in all things "that pertain to life and 
godliness." 

The advocates of the plea to restore the apostolic 
church, those who are Christians only and belong to- the 
church of Christ only, occupy a unique position. The 
early reformers, such men as Luther, Calvin, Knox, 
Wesley and others, sought mightily to accomplish a ref- 
ormation of the then existing corrupt church or churches. 
They did a great and lasting work in their way ; but none 
of these great reformers appear to have sought the resto- 
ration of the one primitive church of Christ. Their work 
was a reformation only, while the great work of the 
advocates of the plea to restore the apostolic church is a 
restoration. 

2. The plea to restore the apostolic church means the 
restoration of the one divine creed and the one divine rule 



SERMOl^S AND ADDMESSES. 39 

of faith and practice. The word "creed, "from credo, I 
believe, means, strictly speaking, a summary of what one 
believes. There is this distinction between what is called 
a creed and a rule of faith and practice ; namely, 'the creed 
is a summary of what is believed, a summary of "the 
faith," while the rule of faith and practice is " the faith " 
itself. In other words, the true creed is the summary of 
the New Testament, while the true rule of faith and 
practice is the New Testament itself. 

The one divine creed, the summary of the whole re- 
ligion of Jesus Christ, the summary of New Testament 
Christianity, is expressed in this one plain proposition : 
Jesus is the Christ, the So7i of God. If this proposition is 
true, then all else is true ; then all that Jesus said, did 
and commanded through his apostles is true ; then He is 
divine and "died for our sins," and arose from the dead 
the third day. This one divine creed is simple, contain- 
ing just one article ; yet, at the same time, it is all-com- 
prehensive, taking in the whole Messiahship, Lordship 
and divinity of Jesus. No one can believe more in refer- 
ence to Christianity than is expressed in this heaven- born 
creed. This one divine creed needs no revision, no addi- 
tions, no subtractions, nor any improvement whatever, 
to meet the wants of all the ages to come. What is 
needed to-day in the religious world is the restoration of 
this one divine creed and the complete abandonment of 
all human creeds. 

The one divine rule of faith and practice in the relig- 
ion of Jesus Christ is the pure word of G-od, especially 
the New Testament. This is all-sufficient and alone suf- 
ficient to instruct and guide man in all religious faith and 
practice, being a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his 
path. An inspired apostle says : "Every scripture in- 
spired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, 
for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness: 
that the man of God may be complete, furnished com- 
pletely unto every good work " (II. Tim. iii. 16, 17). An- 
other inspired writer sa>s: "For the word of God is 
living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, 
and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of 



40 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts 
and intents of the heart" (Heb. iv. 12). Jesus says: 
"The words that I have spoken unto you, they are spirit, 
and they 'are life" (John vi. 63). Paul says : "For I am not 
ashamed of the gospel ; for it is the power of God unto not 
salvation to every one that believeth ; to the Jew first, 
and also to the G-reek " (Rom. i. 16). All of this being 
true of the word of God, then certainly it is all and alone 
sufficient as the one divine rule of faith and practice. 

In the beginning, before there had been a falling away 
from the faith, and for more than a hundred years after 
the complete establishment of the church of Christ on 
the earth, the disciples of Christ had no other creed than 
the divine creed, and no other rule of faith and practice 
than the one divine rule of faith and practice, the word 
of the Lord. When false teachers arose and ambitious 
men began their evil work in the churches, then human 
creeds and human rules of faith and practice were born to 
curse the church of God with sects and sectarianism. 
The restoration of the one divine creed and the one divine 
rule of faith and practice, means the complete abolish- 
ment of all human creeds and human. rules of faith and 
practice, and the destruction of all sects and sectarian- 
ism among the professed followers of the Christ. 

3. The plea to restore the apostolic church means the 
restoration of the faith and practice of the inspired apos- 
tles of the Christ. In the New Testament we have a 
complete and inspired presentation of the whole faith and 
practice of the apostles. Then to the New Testament 
only we must go to learn the things spoken by the apos- 
tles of the Christ, as the Holy Spirit gave them utter- 
ance ; for it is said of them: "And they were all filled 
with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other 
tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts ii. 4). 

The faith of the apostles means the faith they exercised 
themselves, and commanded all men to have in order to 
the saving of their souls. The faith of the apostles is a 
personal faith, faith in the divine person, Jesus the Christ, 
the Son of God. With the apostles the question was not 
simply, What do you believe ? but the question was, Whom 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 41 

do you believe ? or, In whom do you believe ? Do you be- 
lieve in the Christ f is the vital question. Hence, when 
the jailor asked the soul-stirring question, "Sirs, what 
must I do to be saved ? " an inspired apostle answered in 
these words : ^^ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou 
shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts xvi. 31). Faith 
in the Christ is faith that trusts in the Christ for salva- 
tion. Trust in the Christ is to take the Christ at his word, 
and do what he says or commands. No one trusts in 
Christ unless he obeys Christ in his commandments. 
Hence, trust in Christ goes just as far as obedience to 
Christ goes. 

Faith in the Christ is the "one faith," and the apostle 
Peter calls it " precious faith " (II. Pet. 1. 1). This " one 
faith," " precious faith, " saves because it is faith in the 
one precious Saviour of sinners. Faith in the Christ, 
while it is always a personal faith, faith in a divine per- 
son, at the same time it means the belief of what is af- 
firmed of the divine person called the Christ ; and this 
faith, or belief, brings life to the soul in the name of 
Christ. Hence, the apostle John says: "Many other 
signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples, 
which are not written in this book ; but these are written 
that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of 
God ; and that believing [that Jesus is the Christ, the Son 
of Grod] ye may have life in his name" (John xx. 30, 31). 
This, then, is the faith of the apostles, the "one faith" 
commanded in the gospel. This ' ' one faith' ' in the Christ, 
which believes " that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, " 
is the one divine confession of faith, which with repent- 
ance admitted persons to baptism and through baptism 
into the primitive apostolic church. 

The loraetice of the apostles means all that the apostles 
preached, taught, commanded, did and wrote for universal 
observance in all time to come, as they were miraculously 
endowed by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The prac- 
tice of the apostles covers the whole ground, takes in the 
whole truth as it is in Jesus, and all the dear Lord would 
have us to know, to practice and to be. It takes in the 
whole apostolic church in all its faith, doctrine, practice 



42 TWENTIETH CENl UR Y 

and life, and leads to the salvation and glorification of 
redeemed man in "a new heaven and a new earth." All 
of this, as it is now ^iven by divine inspiration, and for 
all, in the New Testament, is the faith and practice of the 
inspired apostles of the Christ. 

The restoration of the faith and practice of the apostles 
means a complete return in all things wherein there has 
been a falling away or departure from the original apos- 
tolic faith and practice. It means the undoing of all re- 
ligious error by reproducing the once for all revealed 
truth in all its primitive fullness and simplicity, and per- 
suading all men everywhere to accept it and rejoice in it 
to the salvation of their souls. 

The restoration of the faith and practice of the apostles 
means to reproduce, or restore, the apostolic church ; for 
in the faith and practice of the apostles only, we have the 
one original apostolic church in all its divine fullness. 
Therefore, the restoration of the faith and practice of the 
apostles means the restoration of the apostolic church in 
all things. In other words, we restore the apostolic church 
as we restore the faith and practice of the inspired apos- 
tles of the Christ. 

4. The plea to restore the apostolic church means the 
restoration of the original unity or oneness of the body of 
Christ, the church of Christ. When a view is taken of the 
present state of the religious world, it will be seen that 
the vast majority of the professed followers of the Christ 
are divided into more than three hundred parties, sects or 
denominations. What an awful havoc the falling away 
from the faith has produced ! It is enough to make the 
very angels weep, and almost forget that they are "sent 
forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit 
salvation ! " How painful it must be to the dear Lord to 
behold the divided and distracted state of his children ! 
Sectarianism or denominationalism is the great blot upon 
modern Christianity ; and it is doing more to encourage 
skepticism and infidelity than all other causes combined. 

The Christ earnestly prayed, in his great intercessory 
prayer, for the unity or oneness of all his disciples in 
these words: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 43 

them also which shall believe on me through their word ; 
that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and 
I in thee, that they also may be one in us ; that the world 
may believe that thou hast sent me " (John xvii. 20, 21). 

The oneness for which Christ prayed is the original 
oneness or unity that existed in the primitive body of 
Christ, the church of Christ, the unity of the apostolic 
church. The primitive disciples of Christ were one, as 
the Father is in the Christ and the Christ is in the Father. 
They were one as the Father and the Christ are one — one 
in the Father and in the Christ. To be m the Father and 
in the Christ means the same as to be " in Christ. " To be 
in Christ is to be completely under the authority and gov- 
ernment of the Christ, and be in spiritual union and com- 
munion with the Christ and with all those in the Christ. 
Therefore, the oneness for which Chribt prayed is the 
spiritual oneness of all those in the Christ. All those in 
Christ are to be one, " one body." Hence, Paul says : "So 
we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and severally 
members one of another" (Rom. xii. 5). This "one 
body " is the body of Christ, which the apostle affirms in 
these words : " Now ye are the body of Christ, and sev 
erally members thereof" (I. Cor xii. 27). "The body of 
Christ" is "the church," the church of Christ, the one 
apostolic church, which is declared in these words : " And 
he is the head of the body, the church " (Col. i. 18). In all 
this is plainly taught the oneness or unity of the primitive 
disciples of the Christ, the unity of the apostolic church. 

The oneness of the disciples of the Christ, or the unity 
of the apostolic church, is further taught in what is called 
"the unity of the Spirit," which evidently means the 
unity taught or produced by the Holy Spirit. The apostle 
admonishes the "saints who are at Ephesus and the faithful 
in Christ Jesus, " to give diligence " to keep the unity of 
the Spirit," in these words : "I therefore, the prisoner in 
the Lord, beseech you to walk worthily of the calling 
wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, 
with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love ; giv. 
ing diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond 
of peace." Then the apostle declares what "the unity of 



44 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the Spirit" is, in the following words: ''There is one 
body, and one Spirit, even also as ye were called in one 
hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 
one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through 
all, and in all " (Eph. iv. 1-6). Here, then, the unity of 
the Spirit, in seven units, may be briefly presented as fol- 
lows : (1) The one body, the body of Christ, the church ; 
(2) the one spi7^it, the Holy Spirit who animates the one 
body, and who convicts and converts sinners ; (3) the one 
hope, the one hope of immortality or eternal life ; (4) the 
one Lord, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings 
and Lord of lords ; (5) the one faith, the one faith in the 
one Lord Jesus Christ ; (6) the one baptism, the one baptism 
"in water," "into the name of the Father and of the Son 
and of the Holy Spirit ; ". (7) the one Father, the Father of 
ourLord Jesus Christ, "theFather of spirits," "our Father 
who art in heaven. " Wherever, among the professed fol- 
lowers of the Christ, is to be found the seven units of " the 
unity of the Spirit," there the unity of the apostolic 
church is to be found, as taught in the New Testament. 

In the foregoing we have the oneness of the disciples of 
Christ for which he prayed, "the unity of the Spirit," the 
unity of the apostolic church. Now, then, the plea to re- 
store the apostolic church means the complete restoration of 
this divine oneness or unity in all its primitive fullness 
and simplicity. 

V. The Results to be Accomplished by the Plea. 
The results to be accomplished by the plea to restore the 
apostolic church, in the present divided state of Christen- 
dom, are great. Some of these results, briefly presented, 
are as follows : 

1. This original church of Christ, the apostolic church, 
in its faith, doctrine, organization, government, unity, 
worship, terms of admission, and terms of fellowship, will 
be fully restored, or reproduced, among all Christians 
everywhere. 

2. All the followers of the Christ will be simply disci- 
ples of Christ, or Christians only, just what they were in 
the days of the apostles. They will be just plain Chris- 
tians and not something else, in the way of some denomi- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 45 

national distinction, or having upon them some sectarian 
label to distinguish them from other Christians. 

3. All Christians will belong to the church of Christ 
onli/. They will simply belong to the church of Christ 
without belonging to something else in the way of some 
modern denomination or sectarian church. The church 
of Christ is just big enough to contain all Christians. 

4. All Christians will accept and believe the one divine 
creed only, and be governed solely by the one divine rule 
of faith and practice. They will all have the "one faith " 
in- the Christ, and the one divine confession of faith. They 
will all have the same doctrine, the divine doctrine of the 
Christ and his inspired apostles, 

5. Among all Christians there will be the "one body," 
the "one Spirit," the "one hope," the "one Lord," the 
*' one faith," the "one baptism," the "one G-od and 
Father of all." Then all Christians will give "diligence 
to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. " 

6. The earnest prayer which the Christ prayed for the 
oneness of all his disciples will be answered. There will 
be Christian union, fellowship, fraternity and love among 
all professed Christians everywhere. There will be no 
denominations, sects nor conflicting creeds, to mar the 
peace and harmony of the children of God. The world 
will believe the Father has sent the Christ to bless and 
save it. Then will begin the true golden age in which 
" peace on earth and good will toward men " will univer- 
sally prevail. 

VI. The Practical Application of the Plea. In 
making and putting into effect the plea to restore the 
apostolic church, there are some governing rules or prin- 
ciples to be observed in the practical application of the 
plea. These governing rules or principles, which need to 
be emphasized, are as follows: 

1. The all and alone sufficiency of the word of God, 
especially the New Testament, as the one complete guide 
in all religious faith and practice. 

2. In all matters of faith and doctrine, "where the 
Scriptures speak, we speak ; where the Scriptures are 
silent, we are silent." 



46 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

3. In all matters of faith and doctrine, not simply in 
matters of opinion or methods of work or questions of 
expediency, there must be an express command of the 
word of God or an approved example or a necessary infer- 
ence. 

4. Not anything shall be made a test of Christian fel- 
lowship and communication and co-operation, but faith in 
Christ and obedience to him in all things. 

With these governing rules or principles to guide us, 
we are now prepared to give the practical application of 
the plea to restore the apostolic church. This will be 
done by giving an illustration in the following supposed 
example : 

In the town of Francesville there are five distinct de- 
nominational churches,, known as the Baptist Church, the 
Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Congre- 
gational Church and the Episcopal Church. In a confer- 
ence of the ministers and the leaders of these five churches 
it is unanimously agreed that a union revival shall be 
held in which all the churches shall join, hand and heart. 
After deliberation and earnest prayer on the part of the 
ministers and leaders, it is also agreed that nothing dis- 
tinctive of any particular denominational church shall be 
p^'eached in the union meeting ; that all the preaching 
shall be simply the preaching of the Christ and him cru- 
cified, or the preaching of the simple srospel, or the 
preaching of just what the apostles preached when they 
turned people to the Lord. It is further agreed, that all 
persons who desire to become simply Christians, and 
manifest that desire by coming forward, shall be in- 
structed, just as the apostles instructed such persons, to 
believe in the Christ with the whole heart, sincerely re- 
pent, confess the Christ and obey him in baptism. 

The union revival now begins with great interest, and 
a good feeling prevails in the hearts of all. Night after 
night the good work goes on, with the increased desire 
for this saving of souls. The simple preaching of the 
gospel of the Christ, just what the apostles preached, is 
felt in all its power, and the people are moved by it. 
Sinners are plainly told to believe in the Christ, repent 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 47 

of theiF sins, confess the Christ and obey him in baptism. 
Sinners thus instructed respond by the scores, and rejoice 
in their conversion to the Christ. The great union meet- 
ing now draws to a close ; and one hundred new converts 
to the Christ are the immediate results. All these converts 
have truly believed in the Christ, sincerely repented, 
confessed the Christ and obeyed him in being baptized. 

Now, then, what are these new converts converted in 
the union revival? Are they Baptists or Methodists or 
Presbyterians? No, not at all. To become Baptists or 
Methodists or Presbyterians, they will have to Join the 
Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian Church. Well, are 
they Congregatioualists or Episcopalians ? Not a bit of 
it. As yet, no sectarian label whatever can be put upon 
these new converts. To what denomination do these new 
converts belong ? Not any. Weil, then, in reality, what 
are these new converts at the close of the union revival ? 
Why, they are just Christians. All certainly will agree 
that they are simply Christians, Christians only ; that is 
all they are. To what church do these new converts. 
Christians only, belong ? Why, to the church of Christ, 
of course, which is composed of all true Christians. They 
entered the church of Christ in becoming simply Chris- 
tians ; for whatever makes a person a Christian puts that 
person into the church of Christ, the one body of Christ, 
the apostolic church. 

At the close of the union meeting the one hundred new 
converts conclude that, as they are now Christians oaly, and 
already belong to the church of Christ only, all that the 
dear Lord would have them be and belong to, they will 
not divide up and go into the different denominational 
churches at Francesville. They immediately assemble on 
the Lord's Day and covenant with one another to keep 
house for the Lord, making the word of God the man of 
their counsel in all things. They engage in the worship 
of God, prayer, praise and the reading of the Scriptures. 
They partake of the emblems of the broken body and shed 
blood of the Christ, by virtue of the fact that they are 
Christians, and have this right and privilege because of 
the common priesthood of all Christians under the reign 



48 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

of the Christ. They meet every Lord's Day and engage in 
the service and vsrorship of God. Then, as they develo.j 
and grow in the divine life, they set apart certain suitable 
persons of their number to be leaders in the worship and 
all the work ; such as elders or pastors, or bishops, dea- 
cons or evangelists. Now, then, what are they ? Why, 
they are just a local congregation of Christians, or a local 
church of Christ only, because they are Christians only, 
and belong to the church of Christ only. 

The work begins to grow and spread abroad. The 
brethren, these Christians only, send some of their num- 
ber and begin a similar work in the town of Coraville, by 
establishing a church of Christ there. The two churches 
now co-operate in the good work, and start another church 
of Christ in the village of Tarpley. On the work goes till 
some twenty "churches of Christ " are established in the 
surrounding country. These Christians only, go every- 
where "preaching the word," building up churches of 
Christ and setting "in order th^ things that are wanting. " 
Many of the " denominational Christians " are giving up 
all denominationalism, becoming Christians only, and be- 
onging to the church of Christ only, and thus joining 
n the good work of establishing simply churches of Christ 
everywhere. 

Now, these churches of Christ thus established have 
the one divine creed and the one divine rule of faith and 
practice. In all matters of faith and doctrine, v^^here the 
Scriptures speak, they speak ; where the Scriptures are 
silent, they are silent. They have no tests of Christian 
fellowship, communion and co-operation other than faith 
in Christ and obedience to him. . In all the work of these 
Christians only, as far as it goes, there is an illustration 
of the practical application of the plea to restore the 
apostolic church. 
Plattsburg, Mo. 




J. Mad. Williams, 
Des Moines, la. 



SEEAIONS AND ADDRESSES. 51 



J. MAD. WILLIAMS 

Was born of Virginia and Pennsylvania pioneer stock, 
near Washington, Ta., in 1840, and spent the most of his 
life in his native State. From a child he has been fond 
of books. After attending co.iimon schools until able to 
procure a certificate, he began teaching at an early age. 
W^hile other young men of his vicinity entered the army 
during the Civil Waj% he was obliged to'care for an invalid 
father until his death, near the close of the war, when 
Bro. Williams entered the army for a short time. 

From army life he took up school life, entering the 
Iowa State University, and completed one of its courses 
in 1867. Since then his time has been given to teaching, 
preaching, lecturing and editorial work, having at one 
time been co-editor with B. W. Johnson of the Christian 
Evangelist. Among the many articles appearing in our 
papers from his pen are a number of poems, some of 
which have found a place of prominence in books of con- 
siderable merit. 

As a preacher Mr. Williams, first of all, aims to be 
instructive. He is Scriptural in the broad sense of that 
term. He delights in showing the true philosophy of the 
religion of Christ. Although widely acquainted with lit- 
erature, in his pulpit efforts he avoids the showy, literary 
style, and, in fact, everything that is mere show or sham. 
As a sermonizer he is regarded, by those who know him 
best, as, in the most important respects, the peer of his 
most gifted brethren. His sermons are noted for beauty^ 
strength aud Biblical accuracy, so that when tried by the 
divine rule they are not found wanting. 

The subject of tnis sketch is still actively engaged in 
writing, preaching and lecturing, and in all this work is 
much sought after by his multitude of friends. His sons, 
Herman, Mark and Fred, chose their father's profession. 
A terrible calamity befell our dear brother and his pre- 
cious family when, some years ago, Fred was drowned in 



52 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the Des Moines River. Nothing save the hope of a better 
life could recompense for such a sad bereavement. Her" 
man is a missionary in the Philippines. Bro. W. is indus- 
trious, companionable and cheerful, and you will always 
be glad that you met him. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 53 



THE CHANGELESS CHRIST. 
j. mad. williams. 

Introductory. — The Changeful and the Changeless. 
Through change of seasons, on some lands in the circle of 
our earth the melancholy of autumn days is ever falling ; 
so, too, through the world's wider changes, within many 
a soul, a spirit deep, pensive and sorrowful is ever rising. 
Change — change — change — is the enforced lesson of every 
year, of every day. 

We may read that lesson in our own yet unfinished 
earthly lives. How changed we are — our places, plans, 
friends, companions, occupations, purposes, hopes and 
joys — in a few brief years ! 

We may read it in the breaking and passing of the 
family. First one, then another, at last all, depart from 
home out into the world — from earth away across the 
bourne that bars ruthlessly all return. 

With larger scope and in profounder sense, we may 
read it upon the sober page of history. The tombs of 
Lincoln, Washington, Gladstone, Cromwell, William the 
Silent, Alfred the Great, Bonaparte, Charlemagne, Caesar, 
Alexander and Cyrus preach the swift passing of the 
world's heroes. 

Cities and empires, even, seem to leap for a time into 
life and splendor, and to sink soon into silence and shadow 
forever. 

But yesterday the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar was the 
mighty, the multitudinous and the magnificent ; to-day it 
is marked and known only by its mountain heaps of dust 
and debris. 

But yesterday it was Heliopolis sitting most queenly 
at the foot of Anti-Libanus, crowned with temples, 
thronged with peoples, rich in treasures, the pride of 
Caelo-Syria ; to-day it is Baalbek, a paltry village making 
its home among the most stupendous rock-ruins of the 
world. 



54 T WENT IE TH CENTVR Y 

But yesterday it was Israel, delivered from bondage, 
instructed of God from Mt. Sinai, led by Moses and Joshua 
into the promised land, championed by such heroes of 
faith as Gideon, Samson, Saul and David, ruled by Solo- 
mon in all his glory, united among themselves, and feared 
and courted by surrounding nations ; to-day it is the Jews, 
without a land, without a king or government, without a 
temple or temple-worship, dispersed abroad and well-nigh 
homeless, a hiss and a byword among the nations. 

But yesterday it was matchless Greece, nurtured to 
grace and strength and freedom in her mountain air, mid 
sight and sound of neighboring seas, under the blue and 
gold of favoring skies, sending her colonies abroad to 
people the shores of the Mediterranean, fashioning her 
language to be the fittest instrument of thought, either 
human or divine, and setting on high her painters, sculp- 
tors, poets, orators and philosophers to be the teachers of 
mankind for ages to come; to-da^^ it is Greece, the fallen 
and sore pressed, galled by the worst of tyranny, bleeding 
under the hoof of war, uuhonored, unfriended and unre- 
quited by the dastard, ingrate peoples looking on. 

But yesterday it was Rome, ruling the world from her 
throne seven-hilled and by power almost seven-fold, send- 
ing her eagles -far and wide as symbols of destruction, 
shattering by her thundering legions the peoples and 
kingdoms that dared dispute the overlordship of Rome, 
binding with the strong bands of law and order her many 
conquests into a harvest-sheaf, and making herself at 
length the mistress of the world, proud, imperious and 
well-nigh universal ; to-day it is Rome, the humble capital 
of Italy only, throneless, crownless, shorn of her ancient 
strength, unlike even the ghost of her former self. 

We may read the lesson of earth's changes in her sys- 
tems and institutions, good and bad, that rise, shift and 
pass away. The glamour of feudalism has faded out from 
before the face of the skies. The horrid shadow of hu- 
man slavery is slinking into earth's dark corners. Bea- 
con-lights of reform have flashed bright and skyward for 
a time, only to fall suddenly and be swallowed up by a 
denser darkness. Spots of earth once hallowed by noble 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 55 

endeavor and holy sacriflce of maukiud, become after- 
wards so blighted by some shocking inhumanity as to be 
for all time banned from the memory of man. In days 
gone by, here was a battlefield, plowed by cannon, black- 
ened with sulphur smoke, soaked in blood and thickly 
strewn with unspeakable ghastliness ; where now the 
green of foliage, the hue of flower, the blush of fruit 
ripening in the sun, appear most luxuriant, brilliant and 
delicate ; where now young children, winsome and happy, 
prattle and play over the rounds and down into the dim- 
ples of the peaceful sward. 

Philosophies and religions, like April sheen and 
shadow, do dapple the earth for a moment, and then give 
place to others. Even the churches of Christ at Jerusa- 
lem, at Antioch, at Ephesus, hardly live more, except as 
they live in the churches of western Christendom. 

So, always and everywhere, unceasing change, while 
building the better out of the worse, as we dimly know 
or faintly trust, is nevertheless marring and destroying 
the scenes, forms, objects, pursuits and possessions, so 
endeared to human affection and seemingly so essential to 
human happiness. 

Relentless change ! it saddens the heart, wearies the 
soul. We long for the unfading beauty, for the abiding 
good, for the changeless joy. 

Oh, where shall be found a full satisfaction for that 
longing, intense and natural ? In vain we turn first to 
the idea of God — He is too infinite and unapproachable; 
in vain to the idea of heaven — this is too indefinite and far 
away ; in vain to the idea of righteousness — this is too 
abstract and incomplete ; in vain to the notion of an ideal 
humanity — that is too impersonal and unreal. But we 
turn first, and turn not in vain, to the changeless One set 
forth in these words of Holy Scripture: ''Jesus Christ is 
the same, yesterday, to-day and forever !" 

In this great truth — in Him who is the truth embodied, 
living and life-giving — we may find stay, strength, hope, 
victory and unquenchable joy, even in this changeful, sad- 
dening world. The changeless Christ ! He is real and per- 
sonal ; He is concrete and complete ; He is finite and def- 



56 TWENTIETH CENTVUY 

inite ; He is human and divine ; hence, He touches thrill- 
ingly the lowly earth and reaches kingly to the throne of 
God. The changeless Christ ! He is of yesterday, to-day 
and to-morrow. 

I. The Christ of Yesterday. 1. The Christ of Yester- 
day and God. The Christ of yesterday was the realest of 
realities. He was not merely a person, but the personage 
of history. And more, He was not only a character, but 
the character among men. 

His life career. His mission work, His unsurpassed 
teaching, His sinless character. His tragical exodus from 
bondage here to liberty yonder. His Pentecost signal 
from on high to His waiting ministers below, that the 
full- formed, world-wide movement for man's redemption 
was then and there begun — these all were realities clothed 
in the splendor of God. And they are splendid and 
mighty realities to us who believe. 

Faithful witnesses make that yesterday alive and most 
truly ours. These witnesses were men of that yesterday ; 
they were chosen for truthful testimony ; they companied 
long and intimately with the Christ of yesterday ; they 
studied him profoundly — hearing Him, seeing Him with 
their eyes, beholding Him, handling Him with til eir hands ; 
and they had holy spiritual fellowship with Him, and 
through Him like fellowship with the divine Father. 
These apostles have borne their testimony concerning the 
Christ to the world; they have declared their fellowshij) 
with the Christ, to the church, and the truth of their word 
af testimony and declaration has been doubly sealed by 
their matchless life ministries and dauntless martyrdom. 
In unison with the prayer uttered by Jesus standing well 
within the shadow of the cross, we believe on Him 
through their word ; and brushing away the cobwebs of 
criticism and the dust of doubt, we come clear-eyed 
into the presence of the Christ of yesterday. Behold 
the man ! 

Man's character is made and measured chiefly by his 
relations : (n) To God ; (h) to man ; (c) to evil. So also is 
the character of the divine Man. What, then, were the 
spiritual relations of the Christ of yesterday to God ? 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 57 

The field of inquiry opened by tliis question is too vast, 
human knowledc^e of that field is too vague, for an attempt 
at a full answer ; but enough is plain and sure and near 
at hand to warrant an answer in part and of practical 
worth. 

(1) The Christ of yesterday was intimately acquainted 
with G-od. He knew God and w^as known of God. High 
and clear is the claim of Christ to this acquaintance. His 
first and most tender invitation, "Come unto me, all ye 
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," 
was not uttered until this claim was first put forth : "All 
things have been delivered unto me of my Father : and no 
one knoweth the Son save the Father ; neither doth any 
know the Father, save the Son, and he to whosoever the 
Son willeth to reveal him." 

A narrow knowledge of God one may have by a devout, 
thorough and exhaustive study of one of the sciences — 
botany, for example ; but for such study the longest life 
is all too short and the strongest mind is all too weak. A 
wider knowledge of God one may have if he is able to give 
reverent study to the whole field of God's handiwork — the 
heavens, the earth, and man. For ages the wise have 
gathered and garnered the results of such study into sci- 
ence, art and history, as aids to seekers of knowledge who 
should come after. 

But, at most and at best, knowledge of God is merely 
surface and fragmentary. At most and at best, it is but 
hearing the trailing of His robes of glory, but catching 
faint glimpses of their splendor, or but touching the hem 
of His outer garment. But beyond and within all these, 
which reveal and yet conceal, is the divine Personality, 
the mind and heart and will of the Father. To know God 
thus intimately and to be known of Him, is life, true spir- 
itual life. To such knowledge man did not, could not, 
attain. Of such knowledge Christ only was possessed, 
fully possessed. Christ's intimate acquaintance with God 
goes far toward making Himi man's Redeemer. It fur- 
nishes needed ground for man's trust in Christ. It fits 
Christ to be man's' leader into life. And so the Master 
prays : "And this is the life eternal, that they should 



58 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

kuow thee, the only true God, and him who thou didst 
send, even Jesus Christ." 

(2) The Christ of yesterday was in sympathy with God. 
I am aware of the inadequacy of words for expressing 
spiritual states, relations or experiences. I shall hope, 
therefore, to indicate but faintly the relation of Christ to 
God in respect of spiritual affections. This relation is 
roughly outlined by the English term feUoio-feeling ; it is 
more finely but all too dimly defined by the Greek term 
sympnthy. 

However, let the meaning of the word here grow be- 
yond ordinary bounds. Let us mean by it that there was 
such kinship of nature, such unity of spirit, such agree- 
ment in views, such community of interest, such oneness 
in purpose, between Christ and God, as to make them 
one, harmonious and like affected. In the story of the 
Christ of yesterday,' His sympathy with God abounds and 
colors every page. His life was one, not only of godli- 
ness, admitting of degrees and possible for man to live, 
but also of godness ; a perfection in divine life, lifted high 
out of our reach. In the primary sense of the word, 
Christ was an enthusiast, the only and original enthu- 
siast ; for God was in Him, But he was more than such 
an enthusiast ; for no less was He in God. As the disposi- 
tion of love is the chief glory of a being, human or divine, 
and the kingliest power of all the outgoings of being into 
life, so in love, above all, was it that Christ and God were 
seen to be at one. By reason of this oneness, the heart 
of Christ and the heart of God alike felt thrill of joy or 
throe of sorrow. Because of this oneness, the love of God, 
through Christ, flowed forth a river, broad and deep, pure 
and sweet, bountiful and beneficent. 

(3) The Christ of yesterday was a Revelation of God. 
Before His coming, some men wanted, all needed, another 
and fuller revelation of God. True, creation in some 
measure had revealed God, in respi ct to His power and 
wisdom ; providence, above and over the worlds wheeling 
their rounds in space, but told over and over of His 
mighty and minute care ; the history of mankind on earth 
had hinted of His lordship over the affairs of men ; the 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 59 

marvelous spiritual nature of man had for ages imaged 
forth His nature and kinship ; and the law of Moses, with 
its events ranging around, had taught His awful holiness 
to be feared ; yet, after all, God remained so far hidden as 
to leave the vast majority of men as 

"An infant crying in the night, 
An infant crying- for the light, 
And with no language but a cry." 

"With the few and better that cry had become a pathetic 
prayer like that of Philip, "Show us the Father, and it 
sufficeth us!" The Christ of yesterday, in one phase of 
His relationship to God, is answer to that prayer. To 
Philip, and to all like Philip, His response is, "He that 
hath seen me, hath seen the Father." Revealer of the 
Father — Immanuel— God with us — these phrases bring 
us the alphabet out of which the gospel is builded. How 
richly furnished was the Christ of yesterday for this new 
revelation of God! He was at one with God. He was 
God's intimate acquaintance. He was in perfect sympa- 
thy with God. He was sent of the Father. He was 
clothed with power over both nature and the supernatural, 
in order to authenticate that revelation. 

By word and wonder-working and life, in the form and 
under the conditions of our poor race. He brought that 
revelation of the Father home to human understandings, 
hearts and consciences. He spoke as never man has 
spoken, before or since — for His wisdom was God's. His 
were the mighty works such as none othcFever wrought, 
for Hi^ power was of God. He lived the Sinless, as no 
man yet has truly lived, for His life was wholly in God. 
He died as none can ever die, for His death was the trag- 
edy of time. 

2. The Christ of Yesterday and Man. In His relation to 
God, we found the Christ of yesterday the intimate ac- 
quaintance, and the perfect sympathizer with God, and 
the full revealer of the Father. 

When we set before us the inquiry, What is the rela- 
tion of the Christ of yesterday to man ? we undertake 
in its answer a simpler, easier task. But here, also, no 



60 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

exhaustive statement is to be attempted, rather a sug- 
gestive one. 

(1) The Christ of yesterday was our Kinsman. Exalted 
as the Christ may have been by his relation to God, let us 
not overlook His kinship to us. He was one of us — in His 
birth, His infancy. His toil, His human needs, His human 
limitations, His suffering. His sympathies, His sorrows, 
and in all save sin. 

He Himself would not have us forget that kinship. He 
declared Himself, again and again, to be the Son of man. 
He mingled with the high and low. He was touched with 
the infirmities of the rich and poor. He was a guest at 
the marriage feast, a visitor at the house of mourning, an 
attendant on synagogue and temple, a table companion of 
publicans and sinners. 

He was subject to His parents ; He puzzled doctors of 
law ; He toiled as a carpenter ; He wept at the grave of 
His friend ; He disputed with the Pharisees and scribes ; 
He blessed little children ; He paid tribute ; He angered 
at the mean intrusions of His own disciples ; He had com- 
passion on the ignorant and taught the people ; He wearied 
with overwork and sighed for rest; He sought for com- 
panionship in the loving home in Bethany; He found in 
John a beloved disciple ; and to this disciple he committed 
His mother, when the pains of death laid hold on Him. 
Truly, He was our Kinsman, our noble Kinsman. 

(2) The Christ of yesterday was the ideal man. In all 
the years before His advent, the perfect man could not be 
found. The prophets, heroes and saints of this past — and 
of the present also — are but segments of the circle never 
completed. The perfect man in whom God could dwell 
and delight, and in whom man could find sat sf action and 
inspiring example, waited the fullness of time. The per- 
fect, the ideal man was suggested in God's plan of crea- 
tion and in His providences of history ; He was longed for 
and dreamed of by aspiring souls who desired spiritual 
holiness ; He was seen in vision by gifted poet-prophets 
of old who projected him in startling outline on the 
shadowy future; and in God's good time He came, as the 
Christ of yesterday, the ideal man realized in human his- 



S£:rmons and addresses. gi 

tory, both kind Son of man and strong Son of God, in 
whom was life that was the light of men. 

(5) The Christ of yesterday was the Sacrifice for man. 
Two thoughts are ever lifted into prominence in the Holy 
Scriptures ; viz. : Man's sin and God's sacrifice for man's 
redemption. Sin, as a reality in the choice and lives of 
men— sin, as the immeasurable and inexcusable dishonor 
against God — sin, as the only plague-spot of the universe 
and the one utter ruin of the sinner — is strikingly set 
forth in the Scriptures, old and new. And human con- 
sciousness, experience, observation, reason and conscience 
do marvelously confirm these Scripture truths. But even 
more strikingly, more clearly and fully is the truth of 
God's sacrifice for sin set forth in His word. 

It is set forth in the institutions of law and the events 
of redemptive history, from the first sin-offering — through 
types and shadows and bleeding victims of the Mosaic dis- 
pensation, through the glowing prefigurations of evan- 
gelical prophecy, through the announcement of John the 
Baptist of Jesus of Nazareth, as " the Lamb of God that 
taketh away the sin of the world " — to the death of Jesus 
Christ upon the cross. 

It is set forth, over and over, by Christ on yon side the 
cross, by His chosen apostles on this side the cross. It is 
set forth in plain words, in figures, as kindling sugges- 
tion, and as sober matter of fact. 

There can be no doubt the Scriptures would have us to 
apprehend that the state of sin is one of utter loss to the 
sinner y that redemption from sin is a matter of unreck- 
onable cost ; that God only is able to furnish so costly a 
sacrifice ; and that Jesus Christ of yesterday, in His life, 
labor and death, is that all-sufficient sacrifice, willingly 
given of the Father, to reconcile and redeem the world 
unto Himself. 

I do not comprehend all this. Its full-orbed meaning 
is a sun sunken behind the western mou tain range. I see 
the subdued glory of that sun in the crimson west, I see 
the lances of light shoot far upward in the sky, I see and 
am satisfied; for to-morrow's ■ ast will flood away all 
shadows and lift the now dim objects into golden day. 



62 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

I know this strange law to be true— that the life man 
now lives, the most precious thing of his possessions, is 
the costliest, begun and continued by sacritices and suffer- 
ings of others. 

I know as the poet most fitly says : 

" I could not at the first be born 
But thro' another's bitter, "wailing pain; 
Another's loss must be my sweetest gain ; 
And love — only to win that I might be— 
Must wet her couch forlorn 
With tears of blood and sweat of agony." 

Shall the primary lesson of a mother's love and sacri- 
fice and suffering be learned in vain, when I turn my ques- 
tioning look upon the Redeemer, by whom I now live the 
life of faith, the divinest life, into which He has brought 
me from the deepest death ? No ; no ; I will believe now 
and know hereafter that eternal life into which I have 
already come, is God's costliest gift bought for me and 
brought to me through the unspeakable sacrifice and suf- 
fering of my Kinsman, Exemplar and Redeemer, Christ 
the Lord. 

3. The Christ of Yesterday and Evil. The character of 
the divine Man, I repeat, is determined by His relations, 
to God, to man, and also to evil. 

I make no pause here to discuss the origin of evil, the 
real entity of demons or the personality of the devil ; but 
putting before you the whole realm of evil — the sin of the 
soul, the transmission of deformities from parents to 
children, the speedy propagation of lawlessness in society, 
disease and death as related to sin, the reality of evil 
spirits, and Satan, as veritable prince or personification 
of evil and evil-doers — I ask. What is the attitude of 
the Christ of yesterday to this monster, evil ? 

Brief, though glad, must be the answer : Christ was 
always the enemy of evil in all its forms ; He was ever the 
antagonist of evil whenever and wherever it opposed ; He 
w^as the victorious Master oi evil as condition, influence or 
personality, whether meeting it in a personal conflict or 
planning for its final overthrow by the spiritual forces set 
to work through His life and in His death. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 63 

From what we have seen of Christ's relations to God 
aud man, we are already prepared to relate Him in respect 
to evil. We know that the Friend of God and of man can 
be no less than the implacable Foe of evil. 

But this conviction will grow in clearness, breadth and 
solidity, I dare think, if one will follow out a few lines 
of thought which I would simply introduce : 

(1) Christ's personal conflict with evil is a notable 
phase of his life — a phase best set forth, perhaps, as 
to its continuity and picturesqueness, by the Gospel of 
Mark. It was a conflict lifelong, intense, uncompromis- 
ing, waged against all forms of evil, and never turned 
aside by its disguises. 

Jesus healed diseases that were inconsequents of sin, 
personal or ancestral ; as was the blindness of the man 
blind from his birth. He healed also diseases that were 
consequents of sin ; as seems the paralysis of the man 
who was borne by four into the presence of the Healer. 
He rebuked His own disciples for their self-seeking and 
want of faith. He denounced all lack of love, mercy and 
justice, all hate and wrong, from man to man. He ex- 
posed the liar and unmasked the hypocrite. He probed 
the poison of fleshly lust to its very roots in the secret 
imagination. He struck loose the clutch of demons from 
the persons of the pitiable demoniacs. He invaded even 
the realm of death to set its captives free. 

(2) The persecution of Christ by men reveals His rela- 
tions to evil. They hated Him without a cause. Not in 
Him, but in themselves, was the ground of their cruel 
designs and murderous deeds against Him. He was holy, 
harmless, undefiled, loving and lovable — the one bright 
target for all envious archers. He stood in their midst, 
the one embodied human conscience, clean and true, there- 
fore awful as a revelation of wrong-doing ; and the wrong- 
doers who chose to walk in darkness, sought a false peace 
by madly quenching the light that made their way shame- 
ful and painful. The persecution against Christ was no 
act somewhat excusable of a passion-tossed mob against 
an outrageous violator of sacred human rights ; but it was 
the antagonism of sinners sold to sin against the holy 



64 T WENT IE TH CENT VR Y 

One — an antagonism deeply rooted, ever growing, defiant 
of God, and utterly inhuman in its final act — an antago- 
nism that lifted up Christ as a cur^e, upon the cross. 

(3) Still further, the plan of Jesus for the overthrow of 
evil makes clear His attitude toward this plague of God's 
universe. Christ's personal conflict with evil, and the an- 
tagonism of sin and sinners against Him, are in a degree 
circumscribed and narrow. His plan includes these, and 
much more than these. That plan embraces, as forces 
working the sure overthrow of evil, not only His life, but 
even His mightier death, and, mightiest of all. His present 
resurrection state. That plan contemplates, as a field for 
contest and victory, not only the seen world, but also the 
unseen. That plan lays sure the foundations for the final 
utter subjugation of all evil ; the salvation from sin of all 
vsouls "worthy of eternal life ; the future deliverance of the 
redeemed from all tribulations that smite with sorrow and 
wound to tears ; the subjection of death ; the destruction 
of Satan's power ; and the banishment from God's glori- 
ous presence of all things whatsoever that hurt, make 
afraid or cast a shadow on the dwellers in light eternal. 

That plan marshals for this splendid victory all per- 
sonal intelligences in heaven and on earth who find their 
life and joy in God. Christ Jesus the Lord, the Adam of 
a new and spiritual race— a multitude innumerable of 
every age and clime and tongue who are born from above 
by faith in the changeless Christ to a deathless hope of 
His coming glory — -blind, prisoned Samsons of all centu- 
ries, upheaving the massive pillars of wrong untilit -tot- 
ters to the fall; while they beneath go sadly to a hopeless 
death — the angels rising rank on rank around the great 
white throne, as sure, swift ministers and messengers of 
Him who sits thereon — and God Almighty and All-holy — 
these all, are helping on and making sure this blessed con- 
summation : 

"And there shall be no more anything accursed, and 
the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be therein : and 
his servants shall do him service ; and they shall see his 
face ; and hie name shall be on their foreheads. And 
there shall be night no more ; and they need no light 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 65 

of Tamp, neither light of sun ; for the Lord God shall 
give them light : and they shall reign forever and for- 
ever " 

II. The Christ of To-day. The Christ of to-day, if 
the Scriptures be true, is still the same ; yet in some 
respects he differs from the Christ of yesterday. Let me 
suggest some differences : 

1. T/ie Christ of to-day is at home. It is no marvel that 
here on earth he had not where to lay his head. Earth 
could build no home for Him who came forth from the 
Father, and would return soon to the Father. Ab- 
sent from His own home, the homelessness of Christ 
must have weighed heavily upon Him. Call to mind 
the squalor and foulness, the greed and violence, the 
narrowness and bigotry, the pride and hatred, the 
hypocrisy and inhumanity, that abounded in the land of 
his adoption, when, as the Word made flesh, he taber- 
nacled on earth, and we can imagine the homesickness 
implied in this short sentence concerning Jesus, "And 
looking up to heaven he sighed. " 

Keep well in mind the character of Christ as deter- 
mined by His oneness with God, His kinship with man, 
His unquestionable hatred of evil. Do not forget that 
He humbled himself to wear the form aud fashion and 
shackles and imitations of the least of us, while He 
walked and worked as the Redeemer. The thought is 
well-nigh unbearable to the sensitive spirit. He was 
sadly alone in the crowded world. The Samaritan vil- 
lages shut Him out of their miserable hospitality. Naza- 
reth would have flung him from a mountain steep to a vio- 
lent death. His own disciples fell back from His solitary 
step as He set His face toward Jerusalem, to be offered 
up. There was not one of His chosen few to watch with 
him an hour, during the awful agony of Gethsemane. At 
His arrest, all of His disciples save one fled and left Him 
to His captors, and, at last, the leaders of His nation, 
with wild outcry, hounded Him to the cross and bestowed 
His rightful freedom on Barabbas, a robber. 

But, thanks be to God ! He is at home to-da.y. Every 
vestige of the state of humiliation (our present state) slid 



66 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

away from Him in the mighty change of His resurrection. 
He was lifted above the stifling air and the torturing con- 
fines of earth into the liberty of the children of God 
by His ascension. His coronation placed God's crown, 
for the first time, on one of our kin, as sign and seal that 
He is a partaker of divine glory. 

He is at home and in His own place. It is fitted to 
him and He to it. At the right hand of God, in the pres- 
ence of the angels, in the atmosphere of perfect love, amid 
the joys that waste not away and glories that fade not for- 
ever — these make home for Him and an exceeding great 
recompense of reward. And He is worthy. The great 
voice of ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands 
of thousands, around the throne, proclaim His worthiness : 
"Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain, to receive the 
power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, 
and glor}^, and blessing. 

2. The Christ of to-day is lifted into rightful power. 
The Christ of yesterday, let us gladly remember, was 
clothed upon with power. The fig-tree withered at His 
word of woe. His blessing fell on five poor barley 'loaves, 
and lo ! a full feast for famishing thousands. The storm- 
lashed, maddened sea Gennesaret heard His "Peace, be 
still," and straightway slumbered calmly at His feet. 
Diseases fled His touch. The tainted, torturing ooze of 
leprosy, at His command, bounded as rich red blood again. 
Demons confessed Him master and dared not disobey His 
bidding. He called before the open tomb — Death let his 
captive go — Corruption quick repaired his awful waste. 

O mighty power that clad the Christ of yesterday! 
And yet it seemed that metes and bounds and closed 
doors surrounded Him and shut Him out, the while, from 
occupancy and exercise of a larger power. He foresaw 
and foretold the coming of that larger power. 

The narrow yesterday soon ripened into the broad 
to-day. To His disciples He said : "I came out from the 
Father, and am come into the world ; again, I leave the 
world, and go unto the Father. " " It is expedient for you 
that I go away ; for if I go not away, the Comforter [Ad- 
vocate, Helper] will not come." To the ecstatic Mary, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 67 

who would have laid hold upon her Lord newly risea, 
He said : ''Take not hold on me ; for I am not yet ascended 
unto the Father ; but go unto my brethren and say unto 
them, I ascend unto my Father and jour Father, and my 
God and your God. ' ' 

But before that ascension, came the Lord's commission 
to His disciples, to evangelize the world, and, as ground 
for that mission, this declaration: "All authority hath 
been given unto me in heaven and on earth. " Then after- 
wards occurred the ascension from Olivet, "over against 
Bethany," when, as the Lord blessed His disciples, "He 
was taken up, and a cloud received him out of sight." 
And finally, at fully come Pentecost, as Lord of all, the 
Christ of to-day sent down His larger power, in substance 
and by sign, to make and to mark out His apostles for 
greater work than He Himself had done. From truths 
and facts like these, we may gather the differences in the 
power of Christ, yesterday and to-day. 

To-day He is glorified ; to-day He is in heaven ; to-day 
His realm of operation is the spiritual chiefly ; and to-day, 
on earth, through the Holy Spirit, His power for redemp- 
tion is multiplied manifold. 

If our text be true. He is still the unchanged Christ. 
In what respects is He the same as the Christ of yester- 
day ? The differences just noted make no change in His 
character. The new vantage-ground, power and environ- 
ments only make the more effective His nature, char- 
acter and redemptive work, through the world and for 
the ages. 

But hold fast this great truth that yonder, on the 
throne of redemptive power, Christ is the same as Christ 
on earth; in His love, pity and mercy toward man — in 
His zeal for God — in His immovable purpose to destroy 
the works of the devil. He is not further from us, but 
nearer to us, than ever before. Our cry for light, our 
prayer for healing, our tears of penitence, our heart- 
hunger for righteousness, our purpose to be true, our 
struggles to mount upward, our lamentations for our 
lost ones, our patient burden-bearing, and our fitful 
doubts and bitterness of soul, all, all. He sees and 



6S TWENTIETH CENTURY 

hears and knows and feels more truly than He could 
yesterday. 

Believe it, brethren, the great love wherewith He 
loved us is unchanged. He is changed only in His larger 
power to help and keep and glorify us. 

III. The Christ of Forever. Jesus Christ of Forever 
will be found still the changeless Christ. But the full har- 
vest of his largest power will have come. The redemptive 
work for man, borne yesterday by Christ on earth to 
seeming failure, but carried on to-day by Christ through 
the Holy Spirit to peerless victory, will have reached the 
utmost bounds. 

The gospel, the power of G-od unto salvation, will have 
been fully preached to all nations. All evil, the Christ of 
that gospel will have overthrown. All enemies of God 
and man, all hurtful and fearful things, will have been put 
under his feet. Sea and night, the dread and terror of 
men, shall be no more. Earth and heavens, unclean and 
disordered of sin, will have become the new heavens and 
the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. The 
death of Death, the last great victory of the conquering 
Christ, will have given pledge that the redeemed have 
entered into the changeless world, to go out no more for- 
ever. 

The Christ of Forever is the Christ of to-morrow — our 
to-morrow — the glad eternal day to be ushered in by the 
angel standing in the sun. We shall find Him then un- 
changed, except as loe shall be changed. We shall see Him 
as He is. We shall know Him as we are known by Him. 
We shall be like Him. 

We shall find Him then unchanged, except that he has 
grown unmeasurably fair to our glorified senses, unspeak- 
ably dear to our purified affections, inseparably near to 
our resurrection lives. 

We shall find Him then unchanged ; but we shall dis- 
cover that all the forces that went out into the world of 
time as the manifold wonders of creation, do fix their 
centers in Him ; that all the streams that fed and do feed 
the spiritual life in all souls, do find their exhaustless foua- 
tain in Him, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 69 

We shall find Him then unchanged, except that Christ 
Himself, no longer image of the Invisible, but transfig- 
ured forevermore upon His holy heights, by a glory all His 
own, will look on us and we shall see the Father face to 
face ! Jesus Christ is the same— yesterday, God with us • 
to-day, Grod in us ; to-morrow and forever, we in God. 




A. B. Cunningham, 

Flora, 111. 



SBRMONS AND ADDRESSES. 73 



A. B. CUNNINGHAM. 

A. B. Cunningham was born on a farm near LaFayette, 
Ind., May 4, 1858. His progenitors were Scotch refugees 
fleeing from religious persecution, and who became identi- 
fied with the early history of South Carolina, becoming 
large landholders in that colony. As they had fought 
with Bruce and Wallace for the liberty of Scotland and 
for religious freedom during all the stormy days of Prot- 
estant persecution, they were not behind when the colo- 
nies revolted at the tyranny of Britain. The Cunning- 
ham family in that struggle literally gave to the cause 
'' their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor." At 
the close of the war most of them had either been killed 
in battle or had died on English prison-ships. Their prop- 
erty had all been used to aid the cause, and in operating a 
powder-mill for the patriot army. The family was pau- 
perized, and the few remaining scattered all over the 
States seeking to regain what had been lost. One of them 
drifted into the Northwest Territory when it was a wil- 
derness, and founded the branch of the family to which 
the subject of this sketch belongs. They were iron-sided 
Calvinists, the doctrine having been burned into them in 
the furnace of war, and but few have ever broken away 
from Scotch Presbyterianism of the "strictest sect." 

The subject of this sketch received his education in the 
common schools of his State, and at Wabash College, 
Crawfordsville, Ind. At the age of seventeen he taught 
his first school. He studied law, and was admitted to the 
bar of Montgomery County, Ind., in 1877. He abandoned 
the law for journalism, and for seven years was editor of 
the Crawfordsville Eevieio, and for three years associate 
editor of the Crawfordsville Journal, and served for three 
years as Deputy Auditor of Montgomery County. Jan. 
10, 1881, he was married to Miss Jeannette Elliott, of 
Crawfordsville, an uncompromising member of the Chris- 
tian Church. A few years of church attendance in her 



74 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

company, opened his eyes to the light and he was bap- 
tized by Elder J. P. E wing. From the first he was marked 
by the congregation for the ministry, and in the spring 
of 1889 he was ordained. His first pastorate, extending 
over almost four years, was at Washington, Ind., where 
his success was phenomenal. His pastorates since have 
been Spencer, Ind., where he served well for three years, 
and a beautiful stone church will stand for an hundred 
years in that city as a monument to his work among that 
people. Other pastorates have been Danville and Alex- 
andria, Ind. At present he is located at Flora, 111. , where 
a beautiful new church building is being constructed. His 
wife is astrong aad willing helper in every department of 
church work. She is a born organizer, and a host within 
herself. They have two children, a son and daughter. T. 
J. Legg, State evangelist of Indiana, in writing of Bro. 
Cunningham's work to a church, says: "His pastorates 
have been successful without exception. I most heartily 
recommend him, and, as is well known, I recommend only 
successful men." 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 75 



CHURCH PROBLEMS OF TO-DAY — THE SHIP 
OF ZION IN PERILOUS WATERS. 

[By A. B. Cunningham, Alexandria, Tnd., delivered before the Madi- 
. son County Meeting of the Church of Christ, assembled in Chris- 
tian Chapel, Anderson, Ind.] 

"And when he was come into his own country, he taught them 
in their synagogues, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, 
Whence hath this man wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this 
the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren 
James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they 
nol all with us? Whence then, hath this man all these things? And 
they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is 
not without honour, save in his own country and in his own house." — 
Matt. viii. 54-57. 

In discussing the grave question of the problems which 
are confronting the church of to-day, we find so many- 
things locking the wheels that we are uncertain as to 
which is the most important, or what remedy, if applied, 
would be the most effective in their removal. Such a dis- 
cussion must needs be very plain and very direct, and we 
must approach it lovingly and in the fear of God. Even 
then we are treading on dangerous ground — ground under 
which sleeps the volcano of popular wrath. 

We realize, as do church people everywhere, that the 
church is to-day facing a crisis. This, however, is noth- 
ing new in her history. We may think that we of this 
geueration have the hardest task ever set before men to 
accomplish. But this is not so. We understand that the 
cause we love is being attacked by numerous bands of 
banditti which swoop down upon it from all sides, officered 
and disciplined by those notorious outlaws, the World, the 
Flesh and the Devil — villains and cutthroats all — plunder- 
ers, seducers, liars, steeped in all sorts of criminality. 
They seem to have the advantage largely in the contest ; 
hold their heads high ; sneer at the efforts of the good ; 
carry away thousands each year into slavery to which 
death is preferable, laugh in the face of Justice, and spurn 
the pleadings of the church for the safety of her children. 



76 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The contest, viewed from almost any angle, is a des- 
perate- one, and the heart of the one pessimistically in- 
clined sinlrs, while the hope of the final triumph of the 
church almost dies. But, across the chasm of two thou- 
sand years of time, we hear a voice which calmly spoke to 
a little group of men standing on the plain about Csesarea 
Philippi, of this same "church in the wilderness," and 
it said to them: "The gates of hell shall not prevail 
against it." 

This is still our hope. For six thousand years the 
battering-rams and catapults of the legionaries of Satan 
have pounded upon its walls, but the church has stood. 
It still stands. It is ordained to stand. The church is 
able to meet and cope with every adversary and every 
problem before her to-day, and successfully, if her adher- 
ents will only buckle on the armor and use the weapons 
God has provided. Individuals may and do grow weary 
with the strife and fall out of the ranks. Others desert to 
the camp of the enemy and mingle with the Bacchanals in 
their revelry of death, and turn the boasted liberty of the 
Christian into the license of the infidel. Others, like 
Achilles, sulk in their tents, because they are perchance 
denied the decoration of the shoulder-straps of a major- 
general in the army of the Lord, and allowed to lead it to 
defeat and disaster. But, thanks be to God, there are 
always those who stand firm, on the solid rock of convic- 
tion, who, like Abraham, will dare to offer prayers to God 
with an insistence which at times borders on the impious, 
that a few more days of grace be given to the Sodoms 
and Gomorrahs of earth. 

There are some in every age of the world, thank God, 
who are ready to gather about the ruined and threatened 
altars of Jehovah, as the Jews about the desolated, fallen, 
cursed, blood-drenched, salt-sown Jerusalem of their fa- 
thers, ready to die on the cross rather than let go their 
hold on the eternal promises of Him who sits in the 
heavens. 

The church has always had to contend with just such 
conditions as prevail to-day, worse often. In the begin- 
ning it was the ignorance of the law of God, and the dis- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 77 

asters which would follow, which desolated Eden. In the 
patriarchal age destruction was compassed again through 
idolatry, and the adoption of the customs and crimes of 
the heathen world by the chosen people. In the Mosaic 
age, when law was to reign, and God was to be exalted, 
there came again the old contention with idolatry, and the 
mingling of the chosen blood with that of the alien and 
stranger. The acceptance of heathen customs and modes 
of living brought desolation upon the church again and 
again, until in the time of the Saviour all the world was 
under the iron heel of Rome ; her customs and her crimes 
had taken possession of all Judea, and all that remained 
of the church was her gorgeous ritual, intoned by priests 
as Romanesque in manner and spirit as even Tiberias Cae- 
sar himself could desire. 

The spirit of greed had taken possession of the world. 
It was an epoch of commercial enterprise and business 
.expansion, similar to that which to-day has the world by 
the throat. It was an epoch of luxuriousness, censorious- 
ness, lecherousness, covetousness, bigotry, idolatry and 
adultery ; an epoch in which unnamabie crimes flourished ; 
an epoch when divorces could be procured as easily as they 
can in Indiana or South Dakota to-day ; an epoch when 
the priests of the temple of the living G!-od were adulter- 
ers, extortioners and hypocrites, "whited sepulchres, 
full of dead men's bones." 

Into the very midst of this seething mass of moral 
midnight, came Jesus Christ, the Prophet of the new dis- 
pensation. Mosaicism was doomed. Its followers had 
betrayed God and corrupted a nation, unfitting it for His 
great purposes. Those who should have been its cham- 
pions were trying to trample it to the death. But Christ 
touched the mangled, outraged, forsaken, bleeding, gasp- 
ing form of Truth, and it arose as^ain from the dust a 
mighty power which shook down the walls of Judah's 
stroHghold, fastened the forms of its betrayers to tens of 
thousands of crosses about its dismantled temple, and 
drove the remnant before the arms of triumphant Rome to 
every quarter of the globe, to become a hiss and a byword 
to generations yet unborn. 



78 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

They had stretched the naked form of the Galilean on 
the cross which surmounted Calvary's brow, as their last 
act of infamy and crime against the church of God, and 
congratulated themselves that it was all over. Truth, 
they thought, had been securely buried in the rock-bound 
tomb of the Arimathean Senator, and the things they had 
learned to love would now go on unmolested, and the Naz- 
arine would never more upbraid nor call their attention 
back to the law and the prophets. But God was not 
mocked. Forty days later these same men of Jerusalem 
gathered about the apostle Peter, holding forth their 
blood-stained hands and crying out : '' Men and brethren, 
what shall we do ? " 

The prophecies they had ignored and forgotten amid 
the whirl of business and pleasure, were to be fulfilled be- 
fore their very eyes, and "repentance and remission of 
sins" were to be x)reached in the name of the One they 
had crucified, "to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. "% 
God would assert his sovereign power and. save his church, 
and a few years later came the hosts of Vespasian, and 
the story of how God avenged Himself on the betrayers of 
His law and His church is written in letters of fire on 
pages of blood in the book of the world's history, and is 
written in the face of every desperate Jew fleeing for his 
life from the interdicted soil of France and Russia. 

But the problems of to-day — are they any different 
from the problems of the past ? In a few things, yes. In 
most things, no. The devil has been very successful in 
getting humanity to use his old formulae of the Garden of 
Eden successfully during all the ages, and so long as it 
does its work so well, he need make no change. It has 
been used for six thousand years, and with it he has filled 
hell to overflowing with the shrieking spirits of the 
damned. "Eat, and ye shall be as gods." "God knows 
that ye shall not surely die." "God will overlook this 
violation of His law." That was the doctrine in Eden. 
It is still the doctrine, and works as successfully now as 
ever. 

Every effort to warn men of danger has been scorned 
by the masses, and the fires on the altars of Truth have 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 79 

been kept burning only by the efforts of the few in every 
age. Those who, perhaps, like Elijah, have felt that they 
only were left who were true to God and his cause, the 
rest having " bowed the knee to Baal." But this is not 
so. With the first rift in the cloud, the faithful ones have 
rallied, the battle has been renewed, and the victory won. 

One of the great problems before the church to-day is 
how to preserve our young men from the ravages of the 
drink habit ; how to control its awful tide of misery in the 
church, the home and the community. Wherever it 
touches, it leaves the serpent's slimy trail behind it. 
The report of the United States Treasury Department 
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, gives some statis- 
tics which are frightful on this question. It shows some 
figures which are so gigantic that men will find it hard to 
believe them. It shows that during the year ending June 
30, 1901, the people of this nation consumed 1,349,476,103 
gallons of intoxicating liquors. These liquors, according 
to the report, retailed for the enormous sum of $1,172,493,- 
445, or $15.38 per capita. This liquor bill was for one 
year, as much as the combined earnings of the entire 
200,000 miles of railroad in the United States for the same 
time. It amounts in round numbers to $67,000,000 more 
than the entire outstanding bonded debt of the nation ; to 
$138,000,000 more than all the gold coin in circulation in 
the banks and in the United States Treasury vaults. It 
amounts to $209,000,000 more than all the coal mined in 
the nation last year. It is greater than the price of all 
the corn raised in this nation last year by over $421,000,000, 
and is $975,000,000 greater than the entire cost of all the 
public schools of the nation. 

But, startling as these statistics are, the people seem 
dead to them. This traffic makes necessary the fifty-two 
penitentiaries and 18,000 jails in this land, where are in- 
carcerated each year over a million and a half of criminals 
of all grades, 95 per cent, of which is the production of the 
liquor traffic. The saloon is a standing menace to society, 
church and state. It has its blood-stained hand upon 
every one of us, and no family is so fortunate as not to 
have felt its blighting touch somewhere. Yet the Chris- 



80 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

tian people will not see. It may rob the father of the son, 
yet the father will raise neither hand nor voice to stop its 
course of desolation. Business considerations are allowed 
to stand in the way, so the father in cold blood trades the 
son, the fruit of his loins, blood of his blood and bone of 
his bone, for a piece of metal stamped with the mythical 
head of Liberty and called the "Almighty Dollar." 

All the selfish desires of the human heart are rampant 
in the world to-day. Buying and selling and getting gain 
are the things which claim the attention of four-fifths of 
the human family. Gold is the hideous Dagon which the 
ark of God must face in the world to-day. Gold and what 
it will buy is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the 
end of human endeavor. " Will it pay? " " What is there 
in it? " are the questions we hear everj^where. The spirit 
of commercialism has won the first blood in this contest of 
to-day with the Spirit of the living God in the hearts of 
men. 

This is not the first time in the history of the world 
that the church has met face to face that spirit of com- 
mercialism — that hard, dense, uncomprehending world 
spirit of business. In heathen Ephesus it met the same 
conditions, and when the preaching of the cross had 
turned many away from idols, it was Demetrius, the sil- 
versmith, who called together the workers in the precious 
metals and harangued them. "By our craft," he said, 
"we have our wealth. But see what this man, Paul, is 
doing. He is turning this people away from idols to a 
God not made with hands, and our business will be ruined 
We can not sell images of Diana much longer if this thing 
continues." So argued the crafty business man of Ephe- 
sus in his day, and, following in his train, the business 
man of to-day makes the same argument, when we ap- 
proach him asking moral or financial aid in the sup- 
pression of vice and crime. "It will hurt my business. 
I dare not do this thing. I wish I could, but these villains 
trade with me." They would be just as truthful, and far 
more honest, if they would say : " Yes, I know that they 
will take my boy and ruin him morally and physically. I 
know that they will shut the door of heaven If his face, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 81 

but I can not run the risk of hurting my business by an- 
tagonizing them. Go away, and let me alone. What have 
I to do with Jesus ? " Demetrius pressed this same ques- 
tion home to his fellow-craftsmen, and soon a howling mob 
was surging through the streets of Ephesus demanding 
the blood of Paul, and crying: "Great is Diana of the 
Ephesians, whom Asia and all the world worsbippeth. " 
In other words, the cry of the angry Ephesians was : 
"Great is our business. Nothing must be allowed to 
interfere with our gains. " 

Such a spirit as this is one of the awful conditions 
which baffle and impede the progress of the church of 
to-day. Let the saloon, the gambling-den and the brothel 
run unchecked and free, glutting their fierce appetites 
with our flesh and blood. Let them take the boy for the 
gutter, the prison and the gallows, and the girl for the 
bagnio, the madhouse and the grave which is hopeless. 
Take them all, but give us gold, that great "god which all 
the world worshippeth. ' ' What are they all compared with 
getting the gains of the world? All you can say of these 
things is true, theirdevotees might well say : " But with 
this money madness on us, we will 

" ' Li-^t the jingle of the guinea 
Cure the hurt that honor feels.' 

We can afford to patronize street fairs and carnivals 
where all the vices of the lower races of men, and the 
voluptuous licentiousness of Orientalism, are taught to 
our children, and subscribe to things which should cause 
the blush of shame to mantle the cheeks of a savage, but 
we consider that to be business ; that is progress ; that is 
keeping the town moving. Let anxious parents chain up 
their children if they are fearful for them. Business can 
not be allowed to suffer just because a few hundred young 
men and women may be started hellward. Give us an 
open town. A wide-open town." 

This picture of conditions may not be pleasant to some 
of my hearers, but remember that we are dealing in black 
facts now. You will probably be shocked still further 
when I say to you that this spirit is not confined to the 
rabble, the "mixed multitude," the pariahs of the com- 



82 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

munity, but is found right in the church in many com- 
munities, and being in the church, and most frequently 
the business end of the church, makes the handling of it 
one of the very serious problems of the day. 

The increase of crime in this country can all be traced 
right back to the fountain-head, and that fountain-head is 
the people, saints and sinners alike, who either violate law 
or wink complacently while it is being violated, and no 
one punished therefor. Allowing criminals to escape pun- 
ishment for their misdeeds only emboldens others to crime. 
Allowing any law, no matter how insignificant it may be, 
to become a dead letter, soon breeds a contempt for all 
law, and this is anarchy, pure and simple. It means a 
state of society wherein no man's life is safe from the pis- 
tol of the assassin, nor his property safe from the torch of 
the incendiary. In such an environment the church has 
indeed a hard battle to wage. In the face of the odds, we 
can not wonder when men retire from the field discour- 
aged and undone. 

In 1900 there were 8,275 homicides in the United States, 
an increase of 2,000 over the previous year. During the 
same time there were 6,755 suicides, an increase of 1,415 
over those of 1899. The statistician tells us that the 
great bulk of these were caused by despondency over 
business affairs, failures in business, etc. Failing to secure 
that upon which they had set their heart — gold, gains, 
business success — thousands of men were ready to step 
unbidden into the holy presence of their G-od with the 
stain of self-murder on their brows. 

The problem before the church is to make the world 
understand that one can not serve God and mammon, and 
that such a service will result in the undoing of the soul. 
The church must learn how to apply the gospel of Jesus 
Christ to this money-mad age of the world and redeem it. 

I desire to appeal to the men before me to-day to be 
true to the church of the Lord Jesus. Ba loyal to it. Be 
righteous and true, and the Master has said that all things 
needful shall be added. God has entrusted you with chil- 
dren, and for their proper environment and training you 
are held individually responsible by high Heaven. If you 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 83 

have bo3^s, you are the great sua about which they revolve. 
What you do is the proper thing in their eyes. The gos- 
pel makes its very strongest appeals to the best and 
noblest of manhood, to the best and highest type of soul, 
and all Christian history is filled with the heroic. It takes 
no battlefield to produce a hero. A moral hero may be 
produced every hour on the "bloodless field of civil life," 
and the reward for his construction is a crown of immor- 
tality and to live and reign with G-od forever. 

It is, and always has been : " Ye fathers, bring up your 
children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." 
Yet the women are the high priests in the temple of G-od 
on earth to-day, and I say it to the everlasting shame of 
the men. The women in every church are overloaded with 
responsibilities. They are doing all that they can. They 
are doing m.ore than the}' ought. Woman is still true to 
Him who came and found her in fetters and made her 
free. And to-day she stands by His church, as she stood 
by His cross amid the darkness and thunders of cruci- 
fixion day on Calvary. 

" Not she with trait'rous kiss her Saviour stung; 
Not she reviled Him with unholy tongue; 
She, when apostles fled, could danger brave, 
Be the last one at His cross, the first one at His grave." 

God wants men. He needs men. He is calling for men 
to-day as He has never called before in the history of the 
world. It is a beautiful picture that Whittier has drawn 
for us of old Barbara Freitchie, as with trembling hands 
and disheveled gray locks 

'' She took up the flag the men hauled down. 
She leaned far out on the window sill, 
And shook it forth with loyal will, 
' Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, 
But spare your country's flag,' she sLiid." 

This is thrillingly dramatic and grandly spectacular, but 
allow me to say that the hydra-head of red rebellion was 
not put down by such scenes as this. The trampling, 
gray-coated hosts of the Southland as they surged North- 
ward were not stopped by waving flags in the hands of 
patriotic women, nor did their ranks ever waver at their 



84 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

shouts of defiance. The squadrons of Lee and Jackson, 
Buckner and Bragg, Hill and Pemberton, Beaureguard 
and Early, were not stopped in that way. They were 
halted in their march of devastation only when the bodies of 
strong men were interposed, and their breasts were bared 
to the storm of leaden hail of death which swept over the 
fields of Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Malvern Hill, Nash- 
ville, Mission Ridge and Petersburg. This was the salva- 
tion of the republic. It was saved only by the literal 
response by the strong men of the nation to the notes of 
the battle-song of the Army of the Cumberland : 

" We are coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more, 
From Mississippi's winding stream, and from New England's shore. 
Six hundred thousand loyal men, and true, have gone before. 
And we're coming, Father Abraham, three hundred thousand more." 

God is calling for men to-day to stand by His cause in this 
crisis. To stand for His cause as opposed to the powers 
of earth and hell. Men to stand as examples to the world 
as objects of His power and as strong towers of right- 
eousness and honesty about which the young men and 
boys may be safe. He wants strong men to aid Him who 
realize their personal responsibilities, and are ready to 
pick up the glove thrown at their feet by the destroyer of 
souls. How to get the men — the sons, fathers and hus- 
bands — into the church, and to cast out of their hearts 
the idols there enthroned, is one of the serious problems 
of the present, and may God help us to solve it according 
to His will. 

Again, the church of this day and age is the victim of 
an indifference, on the part of its membership, which is 
truly appalling. The same complaint is coming up 
from every religious body on the face of the earth. The 
Catholic Church in the United States complains, and 
through its highest authority says, that during the past 
fifty years it has lost in various waj s thirteen millions of 
her communicants. The m.asses of the people heretofore 
religious seem inclined to selfishly draw themselves to 
themselves, and allow the burdens to be borne by the few, 
who nobly stand forth and declare that they ''know in 
whom they have believed " and are resting in the promise. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 85 

The tendency of the times is to nominal church member- 
ship, rather than to giving the world a spiritual uplift ; 
to look upon the church as a sort of City of Refuge, 
where, in the presence of the avenging spirit, one may 
take refuge and be safe from the pains and penalties of 
broken law and violated obligations. It is a sort of rev- 
elry of the dying that we see all about us. 

"A cup to the dead already! 
Hurrah for the next that dies ! " 

The prayer-meeting, that spiritual thermometer of the 
church, is only attended by a faithful few. The Sunday- 
school, that hope of the church in years to come, has been 
almost abandoned by the parents of the children, who do 
not seem to know or to care who teaches them or what 
they are taught. Sunday-school is too small an affair for 
the pater familias of the store, the office, the shop, or the 
hustings to turn his great mind upon and illumine it. 
There are no market bulletins posted there. The ques- 
tion of his soul's salvation is not interesting to a man 
whose attention is fixed on Phillips and the Chicago corn- 
pit, or on speculations in futures on the local Board of 
Trade. 

Oh for another John the Baptist, with his oft-reiterated 
cry of "Repent ye! repent ye! for the kingdom of 
heaven is at hand ! " Or the wild cry of a Jonah, such as 
echoed and throbbed through the streets of ancient Nine- 
veh, to bring the people back to the days of which Burns 
wrote in the "Cotter's Saturday Night," and drew for 
the world the immortal picture of the gray-haired grand- 
sire gathering his family about the ingle at eventide for 
the worship of the great I AM. The hymn, the Script- 
ure, the prayer, those things which inspired the conclu- 
sion of the poet, that 

" Prom scenes like these old Scotia's grandeur springs, 
That makes her loved at home, revered abroad. 
Princes and lords are but the breath of kings ; 
'An honest man's the noblest work of God.' " 

The cry of "Back to your altars, O Israel," must be 
raised everywhere and this demon of indifference — this 
infidelity of indifference — must be throttled, or the death 



80 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

of the Nazarine on Calvary's hill will have been a vain 
oblation to the world. 

One of the great perils of the church in these days is 
found in the modern city. This is the hardest problem, 
perhaps, that we have to meet. This thing is a terror 
which looms up vast and dark before the church and de- 
mands a solution in the name of Jesus Christ ; and the 
question is, "What shall we do with it?" It is cosmo- 
politan. It is materialistic. It is socialistic. It is an- 
archic. It is iconoclastic. It is misgoverned. Its offi- 
cials are made by the elements of terror it contains, to 
suit themselves. It is a home destroyer rather than a 
home builder. This latter feature makes it a terror to a 
Government like ours, whose institutions rest entirely on 
the solid foundation of the home. The census returns, so 
far as they can be gotten, reveal the fact that in the coun- 
try districts of this land sixty-six families out of every 100 
own their own homes, while in. the cities only twenty-one 
families out of every 100 own their homes, while in some 
of the larger cities, as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, 
Baltimore and San Francisco, the per cent, falls as low as 
14. In the centers of population the home is being rap- 
idly destroyed. This destruction does not reach the mid- 
dle classes to such an extent as it does the two extremes — 
the very rich and the very poor. Among the rich, club 
and hotel life has acted as the destroyer, and in these 
crowded, worldly places we hear preached a gospel of in- 
difference and liberalism, and fads and isms, and various 
newly hatched and ephemeral cults are the order. The 
pure gospel of Jesus Christ is not in accord with modern 
society's desires and demands, hence it is cast aside, and 
rose-bordered paths are sought by the habitues of the 
circle of "400 " in every city. In the homes of the tene- 
ments, in the alleys, up the back stairs, in the abodes of 
poverty, sloth and dirt, we hear preached the gospel of so- 
cialism and anarchy; here the mind is fed with the cheapest 
of tawdry literature, in which all government and law is 
railed at, and vice is exalted almost into a sacrament, and 
which teaches the true meaning of the Golden Rule to be 
an equal division of property. In these places the church, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 87 

through the efforts of the Herr Mosts and Emaia Gold- 
mans, is looked upon as the bitter enemy of whafc they 
are pleased to call "honest poverty." Thus both ex- 
tremes are indoctrinated with indifference, and the middle 
class, coming necessarily into contact with both, lose 
faith and allow their anchors to drift. The church is the 
sufferer from all of this. 

Thus we are brought face to face with a problem which 
daunts the stoutest heart sometimes, and causes tears of 
sorrow to fall from the eyes of the faithful servant of God, 
and sends him often, like Elijah, to the juniper-tree, where 
again the "still small voice" bids him arise, saying: 
"'Lo, I am with you even unto the end of the world; ' 
arise and do the work to which I have sent thee, and 
leave the results to me. I am Jehovah God ; I will pro- 
vide. " And, arising, the discouraged servant of the Lord 
again commences the battle. 

We have in this particular section of the country a 
condition which is calculated to baffle the wisest among 
us. It is the problem of the young man, the young woman 
and the church. We have in the cities of the Indiana gas 
belt a larger population of young men who have no homes 
and no friends than any other section of the nation, per- 
haps. Many of these young men are from the country, 
from good homes, and have been driven, by the application 
of machinery, from the farm to the manufacturing centers. 
The young women, too, are deserting their country homes 
and seeking employment in the cities. Every one of these 
cities and towns of the gas belt becomes at once a storm 
center, and the question uppermost in the mind of every 
man who loves his race is, " What will the harvest be? " 
It must be reaped and garnered for the glory of God, or 
be allowed to develop into food for the flames. Which 
shall it be ? 

We all know the conditions. This country has always 
had an almost unrestricted system of immigration, and 
the people have flocked to our shores from Europe, Asia, 
Africa and the islands of the sea. Right in our midst can 
be heard the babel of alien tongues. They are here from 
Russia, Germany, Holland, Sweden, England, Austria, Po- 



88 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

land, Bohemia, France, Italy, Spain, Grreece, Egypt, Ara- 
bia, Turkey, Australia, Wales, Cuba, and from every- 
where, and but few of them are the best representatives 
of their people. We have represented, in all the larger 
cities of the gas belt, all the race antipathies of the whole 
earth — people from every land and clime ; men of every 
religion under the sun ; men who are separated by blood 
and worship and thought wider than latitude or longitude 
could ever separate them. So our cities and towns are 
rapidly becoming un-American, and our American cus- 
toms and American religion are being set aside, and 
that which has no place in any civilized land is rapidly 
taking its place, while the people sleep in churches every- 
where. 

There are ten thousand evils which follow such condi- 
tions. Everything which was vile in their own lands 
these people have brought to us. They found the soil, 
and have sowed the tares with our consent, and the crop 
produced is now threatening to destroy us. The seed 
which has been sown and allowed to grow and blossom 
under the guise of liberty of press and speech, bore fruit 
the other day at Buffalo, when the Chief Magistrate of the 
republic fell wounded to the death before the pistol of an 
assassin, a Polish anarchist, with whose unfortunate 
country we as a nation sympathized in its struggle with 
the despotism of Russia and Austria. Yet, from sources 
whence we ought never to have expected trouble, it has 
come — from the ingratitude of the expatriated of other 
lands whom we have welcomed as patriots fleeing from 
chain-s to liberty, but have proven to be vipers, who would 
sting us to the death. From these sources has flown forth 
a stream of pauperism and crime which is increasing into 
a deluge as the years go by. Ignorance is the order 
among them. The public schools will not reach them, for 
they have no desire to be anything save what they are. 
Drunkenness, and all the awful concomitant of crime, 
thrives, for they have brought these habits with them 
across the sea ; they will bequeath it to their children to 
the last generation, and they will inoculate ours with it. 
The result of our intended kindness has been the construe- 



SERMOXS AXD ADDRESSES. 89 

tion of oue vast sepulchre for ever3^thiug good which ven- 
tures too near its polluted quarters. 

Into this sea of turbulent and diverse elements comes 
the young man from the country, or from the good home. 
He goes to the church, and there he meets, perhaps, with 
a sort of left-handed welcome, when it should be the very 
place where he should receive the heartiest and gladdest 
hand. The boy does not know, as we who have had more 
experience, know, that the very people who are occupying 
pews at the church, have their minds glued on the busi- 
ness of the coming week, or are lashed by the thoughts of 
the losses of the past six days, rather than on the wor- 
ship of the eternal God. Under these conditions the boy 
will soon search out the place where he will be made wel- 
come, and result — lost, world without end. A few friendly 
words at the proper time might have saved him. The 
chances for the escape of the young woman under the 
same conditions are much less than those of the young 
man. Society is still constructed on the plan of the old 
Pharisee: "Stone the woman. Let the man go free. " 
" 'Tis true; 'tis true, 'tis pity, and pity 'tis, 'tis true." 
We are facing a condition and not a theory now, and we 
must look the facts in the face, damning and awful though 
they may be. 

But there is a bright side to all this. We have looked 
on the dark picture long enough ; longer, perhaps, than 
we should. We are prone to say : "I don't see how we 
are going to do this." Whether we see or not makes no 
difference. God says, "Do," and we are bound by our 
obligations to make the attempt. We may fail, but there 
is no disgrace in failure. We have thirty millions of pro- 
fessing Christians in this country to-day. If they would 
all of them work ; if, all of them would do their duty only 
partially, we would solve all of these problems in six 
months' time. The influence of that number of persons, 
with one aim, and all working together, can not be meas- 
ured. 

The professing Christians of this nation hold its wealth 
in their hands. Yet. out of all that God has given them, 
they parsimoniously give of it only the pitiful sum of 



90 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

thirty millions of dollars all told annually to convert 
the entire world to Jesus Christ ; while, during the same 
time, the lower classes, the people without God and Christ, 
in the United States alone pay into the saloons and distil- 
leries the sum of one billion and a half of dollars to make 
paupers and murderers, thieves, wife-beaters, gamblers 
and jail-birds. This balancing of accounts does not look 
right to the human eye. How do you think it looks to the 
eye of Cod ? 

Of the 370 colleges of standing in this country, there 
are 300 of them operated by religious bodies. We are not 
lacking in material resources of any sort. We have the 
educational facilities on our side by an overwhelming ma- 
jority, nor are we lacking in numerical strength when out 
of a population of 78,000,000 there are 30,000,000 who pro- 
fess to be followers of Jesus, and to trust in Him for sal- 
vation. In addition to all this, we have five hundred 
thousand more children in the Sunday- schools ■ of the 
United States than there are enrolled in the public schools. 

The church has all the agencies at its command with 
which to work a social, moral and political revolution in 
this land such as the world has never seen, and such as 
never entered into the wildest calculations of any Euto- 
pian dreamer. It has been said of the power of Great 
Britain in the world : 

'•She's got the ships, 
She's got the men, 
She's got the mouey, too." 

But all this is more than matched by the ability of the 
church in this land of ours. Why, Christianity has in 
her ranks to-day six million voters. She does not have 
to have anything political in this nation that she does not 
desire. She holds the nation's wealth, as she has the edu- 
cational facilities ; she has with her all the agencies 
everywhere which work ceaselessly for the good of the 
race. She has the Christian Endeavor, the Epworth 
League, the Young Men's Christian Association, the 
Kings's Daughters, and every other organization of young 
people the wide world over, as her handmaidens ; she 
controls all of the organized charities of tlae world, and 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 91 

under the banner of the Red Cross she ministers to the 
wounded and dying on every battlefield of tlie world ; 
she operates all of the hospitals, and the state has rec- 
ognized her by asking her aid iu the management of its 
asylums, prisons and reformatories. Can you name any- 
thing in the way of resources which Christianity does not 
have at her command ? I can mention one thing in which 
she is woefully lacking, and that is, moral courage. 

There must be an awakening of these powers. There 
must be an end speedily put to this infidelity of indiffer- 
ence. The church must find out just who are her friends ; 
who are the faithful and true of all her many professors 
of sanctities, and with the true and the tried rally about 
the aitars determined to restore the sweet gospel of Christ 
in all of its mighty and wondrous power. If members 
and money both have to be sacrificed, let them go, so 
that the spirituality of the church is again restored. 

Men should be made to more and more realize the awful 
need of a civic conscience and a civic religion. The 
church must be made to understand some way that the 
human race is made of many and diverse elements. That 
there can be no such thing as isolation in this world any 
more. If you stubbornly refuse to see the railroad, you 
will be compelled to look at it at last, for it will be 
brought to. your door. This is an age of the world when 
we can not hide from anything. It is an age of world- 
wide commerce and world-wide communication. The 
old walls of partition which have separated men for ages 
are falling everywhere. The great wall which has kept 
civilization out of China for centuries must come down 
sooner or later. The son of the Flowery Kingdom will 
soon be made to understand that the civilization of the 
Occident proposes to force itself upon him, or wipe him 
from the face of the earth. The time has gone by when 
an individual or a nation can turn hermit, and refuse to 
lend aid to that thing or things which fancy may not ap- 
prove. 

The time has come for the death of conservatism in 
the church of Christ. She can not afford to sit longer 
with folded hands, refusing to accept the changed condi- 



92 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

tions of the last decade, and let the powers of darkness 
reap the harvesi}. The religion of Jesus is not something 
which those who have been baptized and associated them- 
selves together in a church body can monopolize. A close 
corporation which shuts out all the world save those whom 
we admire, will not do. God, in the very beginning, 
placed his embargo on selfishness, and he has never lifted 
it, nor will he do so. The things which we are pleased to 
call gain and loss are mutual. When one section suffers, 
the entire world is thrilled. The nations of earth are 
closer now than ever before. Especially are the States of 
our own country close together. Indiana, with her rail- 
roads, her splendid system of turnpikes, and the many 
interurban electric roads, with cheap and rapid transit, is 
only one great neighborhood. Smallpox at the capital is 
a menace to the entire State. So an epidemic of either 
disease or morals in the slums of any of our cities en- 
dangers the occupants of every home in the land. 

The church of Jesus Christ stands for everything 
which vice antagonizes. The church is the only palla- 
dium of conscience on the face of the earth. She stands 
alone as the great exponent of the Fatherhood of God 
and the brotherhood of man in the earth. Then, why 
such a selfish indifference on the part of so many to the 
complete enforcement of this Heaven-enunciated doc- 
trine ? 

When these great and awful facts stand out so plainly 
before the eyes of men, how can they refuse to see them ? 
Yet they excuse themselves, and hide behind the question 
which fell from the lips ct the bloody-handed firstborn of 
Adam: "Am I my brother's keeper?" The great sin of 
the church is indifference. The church is making very 
few great and aggressive campaigns against vice and sin. 
None where every professing Christian is a soldier in the 
ranks. But, on the other hand, every vice in the calen- 
dar is wide awake, using every effort in its power to turn 
virtue into sinful paths, and having wonderful success. 
Are we to save these brothers and sisters of ours and win 
them to Christ, before they become filled with despair 
and take the places of those who have worn themselves 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 93 

out in the service of Satan and pass off the stage of 
action each year through debauchery, violence or suicide, 
or go to make up the long roll which is annually made in 
the penitentiaries, asylums, and potter's fields ? This is 
a question for you to answer. 

The church has a work before her compared with 
which the cleaning of the Augean stables by the mythical 
Hercules was child's play. The great work of evangel- 
izing these American cities, and, through the power of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ, making them safe places for the 
sons and daughters of men to go, is the work which calls 
her loudly. The church must be made some way to see 
the situation ; to learn to count the losses we are sustaining 
among the very best brain and brawn of the nation, and 
which we are letting flow by us through indifference and 
neglect, watching it form into the flotsam and jetsam of 
that great stream which flows through the earth, carry- 
ing its thousands into the pit of darkness — lost, world 
without end. It is possible that familiarity with these 
things has bred a contempt for them. It must be so 
when the church can look with such indifference on the 
plague-spots sprinkled so thickly over the body politic — 
sins of society, sins of government, sins of the individual, 
sins of business. They have become entangbd with 
everything, and the church of Christ is the great sufferer 
from it all. The business interests of this nation were op- 
posed at one time to the liberation of the Cuban, but when 
his liberty was assured then ten thousand harpies dark- 
ened the air above the island ready to feast on the profits. 
Abdul 11. is allowed to indiscriminately butcher Armenian 
Christians, because to put a stop to it would endanger the 
" business interests "of Christian ( ?) Europe. The death- 
cry of every slaughtered Boer on the South African veldt 
is heard in the interest of British commercial expansion, 
without regard to the teaching of the Christ which 
Britain claims to exalt. The spirit of greed has the 
world by the throat. Mammon is its god. G-reat is he, 
and J. Pierpont Morgan is his prophet. 

Our battle-cry has been for many years : "The world 
for Christ ! " This is a great battle slogan. I believe that 



94 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

it is in accord with the great commission of Jesus to His 
apostles on the brow of Olivet, and it is a cry which we 
as a people, making the claims we do, can not fail to heed. 
I would personally desire to see every inhabitant of far- 
away Boorooboolah Gha safely within the sheltering walls 
of the church but let me say in all candor that before that 
thing can be accomplished successfully, another battle-cry 
must be adopted and its sentiment made effective in the 
hearts of the people at home. That Shibboleth is, "The 
Church for Christ." This does not mean a few only, but 
the entire church. We must have something more than 
the leaves of profession. It is the full-fruited tree which 
G-od regards. We must, as a body, bear fruit such as the 
Father expects from those grafted on the true vine. 

The church is the mightiest power on earth, and its re- 
sources, properly applied, will undo all the wrongs which 
now blight and curse the race. With every professing 
Christian living daily the profession he makes, and being 
a propagandist of his religion in ever so small a way, 
all these plagues would disappear as if by magic, and we 
would have a new earth and be ready for the coming of 
the new heavens. 

" As bright as the sun, as fair as the moon, and as ter- 
rible as an army with banners," is the way Solomon de- 
scribes the church. It is more powerful than all the com- 
bined forces of earth and hell, and we are promised that 
** the, gates of hell shall not prevail against it." God 
has blessed this people and this nation more richly 
than He ever blessed the chosen people, and shall we make 
Him " a Prophet without honor" among us in payment 
therefor ? He has said to us : " Lo, I am with you even 
unto the end of the world." 

Then back to your tents, O Israel ! Close up the ranks. 
Sharpen the sword. Repoint the spears, and forward to 
victory. Let us take this world and hang it as a trophy 
of the gospel of Jesus our Lord on the wails of the palace 
of the King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Alexandria, Ind. 




President A. M. Haggard, 

Drake University. 



96 



iSEHMONS AND ADDRESSES. 97 



ALFRED M. HAGGARD. 

The author of the following sermon began preaching in 
1876. He graduated from Oskaloosa College in 1879, and 
took up his first regular work inDe Soto, la. After three 
years he was called to Washington, 111. In 1884 he and 
his good wife were called by the Foreign Mission Board to 
take the work in Liverpool, England. At the same time 
the State Sunday-school Board of Illinois urged them to 
give themselves to that work. But the church and college 
in Oskaloosa prevailed, and for most of the next fourteen 
years Oskaloosa was their home. For six years Bro. 
Haggard was pastor and for three years president of the 
college. After a short pastorate in Colfax, la., he took the 
secretaryship of the Iowa Christian Convention, of which 
he is now president, aud moved his family back to Oska- 
loosa. He was called to Drake University in November, 
1898, to assist Dean Everest. In the following year he be- 
came dean of the College of the Bible, which position he 
now holds. Since his seventeenth year he has never been 
long absent from the schoolroom. He has held some large 
meetings, but is more didactic in his sermonizing than 
most evangelists. In 1900 he and his family crossed the 
Atlantic. On this trip he preached in Toronto, Canada, 
and twice in London. Wm. Durban heard him on the 
theme, " The Other Cheek," and pronounced the sermon 
equal to the best he ever heard from Spurgeon or any of 
the English divines. 

Bro. Haggard is widely known as a third-party Prohi- 
bitionist. This is a part of his religion. He is intensely 
missionar}^ and a liberal giver for missions and educa- 
tional interests. In the present religious discussions he 
is a conservative, but not a partisan. He would fight for 
the rights of his radical brethren as quickly as for his 
own. From his college days his friends have known and 
appreciated his fairness and the iudicial turn of his mind. 
He is profoundly convinced that most of the " assured 



98 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

results" of Biblical criticism have no abiding founda- 
tions. They are beset by three fatal weaknesses. First, 
they have created as many difficulties as the traditionalists 
ever had. Second, outside of a handful of so-called experts, 
they can not be furthered from the rostrum or in the 
press. If accepted at all, they must be taken on au- 
thority — authority as absolute as that of the popes in 
the Middle Ages. Dean Haggard does not believe that 
the new century will blindly surrender itself to authority, 
either political, philosophical or religious. Third, they are 
but one theory founded upon another theory. Theories 
founded upon facts have not always stood ; how about one 
founded upon another theory ? The results of criticism 
depend upon some theory of evolution. Each of these 
theories is now in conflict with important hostile facts. 
There can be but one outcome. When the popular theo- 
ries of evolution surrender and square themselves with 
certain great facts, most of the "assured results" will 
lose their chief support. In Professor Sayce, of Oxford, 
and in certain German experts. Dean Haggard sees these 
changes already in progress. He believes that a well- 
founded theory of evolution would be a blessing, and that 
it is sure to come, and come soon. 

Bro. Haggard is a very close student of the Scriptures. 
He is painstaking and methodical. He goes as near to 
the bottom of Biblical problems as possible. A few years 
ago he solved the problem of prayer direct to Jesus. 
While showing that it was according to the Scriptures, he 
took from the Unitarians one of their greatest proof- 
texts— John xvi. 23. Later he solved the puzzling 
problem of the chronology of the time of the Judges by 
throwing the 450 years of Acts xiii. 19, 20 backward from 
the division of the land, instead oi forward. Just now he 
is out with a correction of the text of Ps. cxxxvi. 15, and 
a convincing argument showing that the Pharaoh of the 
Exodus was not drowned. Yet he does not allow this 
plodding and digging to rob his sermons or his classroom 
work of the fire of enthusiasm or the pathos of the gospel. 
His classes are impressed with his powers of reason, but 
his unbounded faith is more impressive. While he is 



SEEMONS AND ADDRESSES. 99 

logical and argumentative and bold in his investigations, 
his faith is as warm as that of the mystic and as absolute 
as that of the Old Testament prophets. 

The Haggards in England and America trace their 
lineage back to Sir Andrew Ogard, who came from Den- 
mark and settled in England and was naturalized under 
Henry VI. in 1433. On page 86 of the "Genealogy and 
History of the Haggards " are found these words : "Rice 
Haggard, a noted divine, who was the author, originator 
and organizer of the original Christian (or so-called 
Campbellite) Church. " Rice Haggard was a brother of 
the great-grandfather of Dean Haggard. The dean does 
not credit the above lines. He supposes they grew out of 
a very interesting fact which may be found on page 101 of 
the "Autobiography of Elder Samuel Rodgers. " These 
are the words of Rodgers: "Rice Haggard first sug- 
gested to "Barton W. Stone the propriety of wearing the 
name Christian, as that given by divine authority to the 
disciples at Antioch. " No one can read the preface to 
his compilation of hymns without feeling Rice Haggard's 
deep convictions on the question of Christian union. 
Thus it is manifest that Dean Haggard is in the fourth 
generation of reformers. His father was a preacher, and 
the brother of his grandfather was a pioneer o£ much 
ability. 



100 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



THE NEW BIRTH. 

ALFRED M. HAGGARD. 

Introduction. — Not long ago an earnest inquirer wrote 
a letter to the editor of the Sunday-school 'Times, asking 
questions as to the new birth. Trouble and j)erplexity 
were woven through and through its lines. The editor 
very wisely closed his brief response with words as fol- 
lows : "Do not worry over the new birth. God will do 
his part, you do yours. " But how can I do mine without 
knowing what ifc is ? And how can I leave God's part 
with Him if I do not know His part from mine ? Evi- 
dently the good editor did not go. far enough to help most 
troubled souls. Perhaps no one can do all that many de- 
sire in this difficult field, but we can ask this honest ques- 
tion and do our best in answering it. 

Proposition: What is the New Birth? 1. It was 
then, and is yet, a mystery. Turn to the third chapter of 
the Gospel of John, and read the first twenty-one verses. 
Then read again the seventh and eighth verses, where 
Jesus in substance tells Nicodemus that part may be un- 
derstood and part not so well understood. If Jesus did not 
try to explain all about it, why should we ? Since the new 
birth is an important factor of the new life, and since the 
life is brought to light through the gospel, we should 
know more of the new birth since the gospel came in its 
full revelation than could have been known in the days of 
Nicodemus. Yet it would be the greatest mistake for any 
one to suppose that bringing it out of darkness into light 
would eliminate all mystery. Science has been trying to 
determine the nature or final essence of matter. It is 
seen to-day under floods of light unknown fifty and one 
hundred years ago, but the mystery of matter is more 
profound and hopeless than ever. Liglit helps you to un- 
derstand the comprehensible while it locks up more 
securely the parts which are not for the understanding. 
Both in matter and in the new birth is much to be clearly 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 101 

understood, while in both there are mysteries too great 
for any of us. Since Jesus treated the new birth under 
this double relation, what wiser thing can we do than to 
follow His example ? 

2. The new birth is a vital process. This much is be- 
yond doubt. There is no birth in a dead kingdom. Only 
in a kingdom of life do we find such phenomena. This one 
plain fact makes it necessary in this sermon to tarn away 
from legal and formal illustrations to illustrations from 
biology. My chief illustrations, therefore, are taken from 
living things. This is very essential. Another necessity 
is upon us also. We should not treat the new birth in a 
way so narrow as to divorce it from all the vital proc- 
esses that lead up to it, and without which it never 
would occur. Birth is by no means the first beginning of 
an individual life. A third necessity should not be for- 
gotten. We should remember that the new birth is not 
the end of the new life. The birth is in order to growth — 
growth toward, and into a harvest of fruit, a glorious out- 
come. Therefore I shall consider the life in which the new 
birth is a factor, as the greatest and most real of the four 
kingdoms of life. It is just as real as vegetable life, or 
animal or human. As high above vegetable life as is the 
animal ; as high above animal life as is the human — so 
high is the life above all others. As a real conquering 
power it is greater than vegetable or animal or human 
life. In the believer this power will gradually crowd out 
all that is imperfect and faulty. It will establish its full- 
ness and bring that moral perfection for which the heart 
longs. It will never cease until it has brought the be- 
liever into perfect likeness to the Christ. It is called eter- 
nal life, not because it always comes to the harvest of its 
fruitage in every heart where it is planted. The parable 
of the sower shows that it does not always do this. It is 
called life eternal because it leads into.eternal happiness 
every faithful one, and because it comes from the eternal 
God through the Saviour of men. And probably because 
it is older than any of the other three kinds of life. 

3. All kingdoms of life suggest two factors in the new 
birth : a life-giving factor and a receiving and nourishing 



102 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

factor. Jesus chose to illustrate this truth by reference 
to the third kingdom, the kingdom of human life. I pre- 
fer to illustrate it from the first kingdom, the kingdom 
Jesus used in the parable of the sower. I have chosen a 
field in biology which teaches the same lesson taught by 
the biology he used for illustration. 

A few years ago, in moving into new quarters for the 
winter, I discovered a fine bed of strawberry plants. Just 
after the snow disappeared in the spring, I cared for 
them diligently and sought berries from them at the 
proper season. Not a berry did I find, either ripe or 
green ! The plants were thrifty, the blossoms were white 
and fragrant, but there was no fruit. I discovered that 
the plants were pistillate. They had no stamens and 
hence no pollen, and therefore no fruit. One of the fac- 
tors of birth was lacking. Pollen is that factor. It is 
the life-giving factor. It is as truly seed as is a kernel of 
corn or a grain of wheat. It will not grow where corn 
or wheat will, but in the heart of a living strawberry 
blossom it will grow. In order to get a crop of berries 
for the next year, I was directed to plant some perfect 
plants among my pistillate plants. I was assured that 
the pollen would be carried from these by the bees and 
by the winds to the hearts of the blossoms, and a harvest 
of berries would be borne ! Some of you have tried this 
advice, and know that it is good and true. It perfectly 
illustrates the life law that there are two factors in birth, 
the life-giving and the life receiving and nourishing fac- 
tors. The same is true in the animal kingdom, and also 
in the human kingdom where Nicodemus was so puzzled. 
In the realm of life eternal Jesus states that there are 
two factors of birth. The strawberry is born into the 
vegetable kingdom. The canary bird is born into the ani- 
mal kingdom. The child is born into the human kingdom. 
The child of God is born into the kingdom of heaven. 
This natural law of life extends into the spiritual realm 
or spiritual world. 

4. What is the life-giving factor of the new birth ? 
Our text says it is the Spirit. In verse 5 it is mentioned 
as the second of two factors. Verse 6 is devoted to 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 103 

special emphasis of the Spirit as the life-giving factor : 
"That which is bora of the flesh is flesh ; that which is 
born of the Spirit is spirit." The agency of the Spirit 
does not exclude the co-operation of God and Christ. 
There is no contradiction of Rom. vi. 23: "The gift of 
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." The 
same thought is more elaborately stated in Gal. vi. 8 : 
"He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap cor- 
ruption ; he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit 
reap life everlasting." This naturally leads us to Luke 
viii. 11: "The seed [the pollen] is the word of God." 
The important thing about seed or grains of pollen is the 
life within. We are reminded of the words of Jesus : 
"My words are spirit, and they are life." The pollen is 
the power of God for producing a strawberry, provided 
the blossom is prepared for its work. So the gospel is 
the power of God to save by the new life, if the heart 
blossom is prepared by faith. In His conversation with 
Nicodemus, Jesus does not rule out the seed, the sowing, 
the agency of the Father or of Himself. He does ex- 
pressly mention the Spirit, which logically implies all the 
others. The Spirit, then, with His divine helpers and 
through Spirit-chosen processes of life-giving, is the first 
or life-giving factor in the new birth. Other passages 
of Scripture, embodying more or less of this chain of 
thought, will occur to the thoughtful reader. 

5. What is the life receiving and nourishing factor in 
the new birth ? If we follow our leading illustration, it 
is a human heart in bloom. And if we turn to the Scrip- 
tures, we find no contradiction. God's two great books 
never contradict each other. The professor of botany 
to whom I went for instruction concerning my plants 
directed me to keep them and care for them diligently, 
thus causing them to bloom the next spring and give me 
a harvest of fruit, newborn fruit. Does not the writer of 
Proverbs speak in like manner when he says : " Keep thy 
heart with ail diligence, for out of it are the issues of 
life"? I saw that to leave my thrifty and beautiful 
plants without pollen was to doom them to a living death. 
In like mariner will not a believer perish without the gos- 



104 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

pel pollen ? Was not much of the conversation with Nic- 
odemus on this very point ? What else can be the mean- 
ing of these words: "So must the Son of man be lifted 
up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have eternal life"? And again: "For G-od so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth on him might not perish, but have everlasting 
life." In the vegetable world a plant which will not 
bloom is doomed. Did not Jesus say as much in this very 
conversation ? "He that believeth not is condemned, be- 
cause he hath not believed in the name of the only begot- 
ten Son of God." Why did Jesus refer to the serpent 
lifted up in the wilderness ? Because it forcibly presented 
the whole matter of faith in the hearts of men and its in- 
dispensable importance. Because it presents the radical 
difference of hearts in bloom and dead or faithless hearts. 
So, then, a heart prepared by loving faith in Jesus is the 
second factor in the new birth. 

" Why does not Jesus say so in verse 5 ?" He does, for 
verses 14 to 21 are a comment upon verse 5. " Why did 
he say water?'' Because he meant water, the water of bap- 
tism. Is not baptism, as taught and practiced by the 
New Testament teachers, a clear expression of a heart in 
bloom with love and faith ? What other one word in any 
language could the Master have chosen that would 
have revealed more of the heart in bloom for the life 
eternal than this ? I used to wonder why the Master men- 
tioned water first and Spirit next. It is no longer a mys- 
tery to me. Hejirst mentions the growing place for the 
seed of life, the heart in bloom ; and 7iext, the creator of 
the life to be sown, the Spirit. "Except a man be 
born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the 
kingdom of God. " 

Conclusion: — (1) Do not worry over the new birth. 
Do your part, and God will do His. Keep your heart 
open, keep it in bloom. Live a beautiful life, a life fra- 
grant of the Son of God. Treasure the gospel, know its 
precepts, love the crucified Que, do what He would do in 
your place. The wise farmer does not worry over the 
sunshine and the rains. He chooses good seed, and sows 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 105 

it in due season and cares for it, and reaps the harvest 
God gives him. Do your part and do not worry ; in due 
season you will reap life everlasting ; you will pass safely 
through the new birth into the harvest fullness of life 
everlasting. 

(2) In our illustration the winds and the bees carried 
God's pollen from the perfect plants to the imperfect 
ones. There is not one Christian too old or too young to 
carry the message of life eternal to some one else. God 
and Christ want this work carried to the ends of the 
world. Eeader, it is your business to help. It is your 
happy privilege to help. It is a glorious thing to be a 
carrier of the gospel of life. God wants preachers to do 
it. He wants Sunday-school teachers to do it. He wants 
parents. He often uses children to carry it. He loves 
and honors all who do this good work. He will be disap- 
pointed if you go home to Him without doing any of it. 

(3) In the harvest of eternal life there will be no fail- 
ure from lack of good seed. All failures will arise from 
neglected or poorly kept hearts. In the parable of the 
sower this is made very clear. Foolish souls are laying 
blame at God's door because of his warnings and assur- 
ance of a coming living death, with its anguish and hor- 
ror. Biological science unites its voice with that of Jesus. 
The man who does not love God and his fellows is doomed. 
The man who does not believe in Jesus and embody this 
faith in life and character is doomed to an awful destiny, 
and no one to blame for it but himself. The laws of life 
are not less inexorable than the laws of gravitation. If 
God's will were done, there would not be a lost soul. 

(4) My plants were not totally depraved, but they were 
totally helpless without the perfect plants. They had 
good roots and good leaves and good blossoms for grow- 
ing the pollen from a perfect plant. Reader, you may 
have as much spiritually, but that is not enough. With- 
out one thing they were totally helpless. They must have 
the help of a perfect plant of their own kind. Nothing 
else in the wide world would do. The sunshine of Italy 
would not do. Fertilizers from skillful chemists would 
not. The care of the king's gardener would not answer. 



106 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The pollen from plants of a kindred kind would not. God's- 
power to save my plants from a living death was stored 
nowhere else than in grains of pollen from perfect straw- 
berry plants. In like manner, without Jesus Christ you 
are totally helpless! "He that hath the Son, hath the 
life. He that hath not the Son of Grod, hath not the life. " 
Neglect Christ, and you are lost ! Love Him, serve Him, 
and you grow into the unspeakable glory of perfect Christ- 
likeness, eternal life. 

Drake University, Des Moines, la. 



dKrislian ^Woman's 
Beard of 3/tissious ©epartraent. 



SOME OF THEIR WORKERS. 



lOT 



(I 




National Officers C. W. B. M. 

1. Mrs. O. a. Burgess, Pres. 

2. MRS. N. B. ATKINSON, Vice-Pres. 3. Mrs. Helen E. Moses, Cor. Sec. 

i. Mrs. Annie B. Gray, Rec. Sec. 6. Miss Mattie Pounds, Nat. Supt. 

Y. P. Dept. 

5. Miss Mary J. Judson, Treas. 



108 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 109 



HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN WOMAN'S 
BOARD OF MISSIONS. 

152 East Market Street, Indianapolis, Ind. 
antecedents. 

Woman's missionary work, as a distinctive agency, is 
a product of the nineteenth century. The first organiza- 
tion for this purpose, in this country, of which we have 
any account, is the "Female Missionary Society " of the 
M. E. Church in New York, which was organized in 1819, 
but ceased to exist in 1861. In 1834, women of various 
churches in New York, learning of the deplorable condi- 
tion of their heathen sisters, formed a society to work in 
their behalf, but this was soon " abandoned at the urgent 
request of the church Boards. " In 1860, Mrs. Fannie B. 
Mason, a missioi.ary from Burmah, came to New York 
with the sad story of the wants and woes of heathen 
women. The result was the formation of the " Woman's 
Union Missionary Society," in 1861, which is still work- 
ing vigorously. The various subsequent denominational 
woman's missionary societies in the United States are 
outgrowths from this. 

ORIGIN. 

As early as October, 1869, Elder Thomas Munnell had 
urged the Greneral Christian Missionary Convention, 
assembled at Louisville, Ky., to take steps for enlisting 
the sisters in systematic missionary work, and though this 
was not done then, seeds were sown beside the waters, 
and some of them grew years after. 

The inaugurator of organized mission work among the 
women of the Church of Christ was Mrs. Caroline N. 
Pearre. Replying to questions concerning this, she says 
in a letter written Feb. 10, 1896: "On the 10th of 
April, 1874, about ten o'clock in the morning, at the close 
of my private devotions, the thought came to me. I 
promptly conferred with Bro. Munnell, who was then 



110 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

corresponding secretary of the Greneral Christian Mission- 
ary Convention, to know if he thought it practicable. He 
promptly responded at once: 'This is a flame of the 
Lord's kindling, and no man can extinguish it.' I then 
began to write letters to our ladies, and soon received 
favorable answers from all but one. She did not reply." 
This encouraged Mrs. Pearre to begin the work in her 
home church in Iowa City, where she organized a society 
about the middle of May. About the same time, a letter 
that she had written concerning it to Mrs. J. K. Rogers 
was sent to J. H. Garrison, who published it in his paper, 
the Cliristian, with an editorial fervently commending it 
to his readers. In June, Isaac Errett visited Iowa City, 
talked the matter all over with Mrs. Pearre, was thor- 
oughly interested, and then and there wrote a vigorous 
leader entitled "Help Those Women," and sent it off for 
the next issue of his paper, the Christian Standard. In 
this he proposed that the sisters hold a convention at the 
same time with the General Convention, at Cincinnati, in 
the following October, to organize a woman's Board. 
Through the columns of the Standard and the Christian 
this was kept before the people and arranged for. Already 
there were devout women here and there, who, in silence, 
were yearning for some active, responsible, yet womanly 
work for the Master, in place of the passive church life 
they were living. The words of these faithful men 
strengthened and encouraged all such. In fact, a few sis- 
ters at Des Moines, la., under the guidance of John 0. 
Hay, had, on the 28th of Februar\^, of that same year, 
banded together for local missionary work under the lead- 
ership of Mrs. C. E. Gaston, who writes: "This was the 
first missionary organization among our sisters." Thus, 
Iowa women became the vanguard of the coming army. 

ORGANIZATION. 

During the summer of 1874, a number of local societies 
were formed to be auxiliary to the Board that was to be 
organized in October. The first of these, so far as we 
have record, was at Indianapolis, in July. About the fivst 
of August, societies were started at Bloomington and ^t 
Eureka, 111., and at other points later on. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. Ill 

About seventy-five sisters met in Cincinnati in re- 
sponse to the call for a convention. Mrs. R. R. Sloan, of 
Ohio, was called to preside. Miss Alma White was secre- 
tary. Mrs. Pearre explained fully the purpose of the 
meeting, and presented plans for future work. Prayer- 
fully and fervently the matter was considered. The result 
was, the Christian Woman s Board of Missions was organ- 
ized Oct. 22, 1874, on which date the constitution was 
adopted, headquarters placed at Indianapolis, and national 
officers chosen from that locality. 

CHOOSING OUR FIRST FIELD. 

In answer to the question, "Now, for what definite 
field shall we work?" the following were proposed: 1. 
A mission in our great West. 2. A mission among our 
Freedmen. 3. Revival of the Jamaica Mission. 4. Sup- 
port of one or more teachers in connection with the Free 
Baptist Mission in India or China. All pledged them- 
selves to abide by the decision of the majority. The 
merits of these several fields were fully stated and earn- 
estly considered. 

The convention had friends scattered all through the 
West, many of them without church privileges. Four 
million slaves, ignorant and debased, had recently been 
freed within our borders. The deplorable condition of 
woman in India and China was touchingly portrayed by 
Dr. Graham, of the Free Baptist Mission, with an appeal 
in their behalf. Jamaica had been a mission of our Amer- 
ican Christian Missionary Society for several years, in 
charge of J. O. Beardsley, and with encourasfing success ; 
but in 1864, in the midst of the Civil War, was abandoned 
for lack of funds. For ten years our seven or eight little 
congregations over there had been without a minister, 
ignorant, weak, helpless, and they kept piteously pleading, 
"Come over into Jamaica again and help us." It was as 
the prophetic Ethiopia stretching out her hands unto 
God. The vote was twice retaken, and was almost unani- 
mously for Jamaica. Thus it became our first field. 

Notwithstanding the ministry of that mission has 
been so changeful, the cause has grown right along ; not 



112 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

always in numbers, but rather in the Christian character 
of the church-members. C. E. Randall has stood heroic- 
ally by in its darkest, as well as in its brightest, days. 
He has been as an anchor to it. His children are becom- 
ing his coworkers. For several years he and two native 
ministers, A. C. McHardy and P. M. Robinson, with 
either Mr. Versey or Mr. Rumsey most of the time, bore 
the burden of the work there. The task was arduous. 
Note some of the difficulties. The area occupied by our 
interests there is about twenty-nine miles long by sixteen 
miles wide, if measured in straight lines. This area is 
very irregular in shape, and is made up mostly of rocks 
and mountains broken into thousands of perilous steeps 
and precipices. Danger is imminent almost everywhere; 
Most of the traveling must be done on horseback along 
paths steep and narrow, and so winding around chasms 
and over and around mountains that one must often ride 
thus, in slow walk, several miles to reach a point one mile 
direct from the starting-place. 

About three-fourths of the people (aside from about 
15,000 whites) are black, and the other fourth are various 
shades of brown. All are poor, nearly all very poor, and 
very untaught in everything that makes people intelligent. 
In this area we have twenty-one churches. 

INDIA. 

Our stations in India are at Bilaspur and Bina, Cen- 
tral Provinces ; Deoghur, Bengal and Mahoba, Northwest 
Provinces. 

Bilaspur. — In October, 1881, the Christian Woman's 
Board of Missions and the Foreign Christian Missionary 
Society decided to co-operate in establishing a mission in 
India. In September, 1882, the company sailed. We sent 
four young women, Ada Boyd, Mary Kingsbury, Mary 
Graybiel and Laura V. Kinsey. G. L. Wharton and L. 
Norton and their wives were sent by the Foreign Board. 
They located at Hurda, Central Provinces. Soon Mr. and 
Mrs. Norton withdrew from the field, and shortly after 
M. D. Adams and wife were sent out. These, with Misses 
Kingsbury, Graybiel and Boyd, went two hundred miles 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 113 

east from Hurda and opened a station at Bilaspur, where 
the Foreign Board built a bungalow, or mission home, for 
their workers, and we built one for ours. Later, we built 
a schoolhouse and an orphanage, in 1894 a dormitory and 
a hospital, in 1898 a physician's bungalow was erected, in 
1899 a second schoolhouse was purchased, and in 1900 an- 
other orphanage dormitory was built. 

Bina. — When three of our first missionaries to India 
went to Bilaspur, Miss Kinsey remained *at Hurda. In 
1887 she married Ben N. Mitchell, a missionary laboring 
in Bombay, under an English Methodist Board. While 
on a visit to Bilaspur, previous to their coming to Amer- 
ica, in 1889, he was immersed by Mr. Adams and identi- 
fied himself with the Disciples of Christ. After spending 
four years in this country we sent them back to India in 
1893, and with them Misses Ida Kinsey, of Portland, Ind., 
and Mattie W. Burgess, of St. Joseph, Mo. They opened 
a new station at Bina, where they labor among the En- 
glish and Eurasians as well as with the natives. 

DeogJnir. — Deoghur is two hundred miles west from 
Calcutta. The work there was begun by Miss Jane Wake- 
field Adam, a native of Scotland. She had long been a 
Baptist, closely studied her Bible and yearned for Chris- 
tian union. She prayed to be sent to the darkest spot in 
India, was guided to Deoghur, and for seventeen years 
has given herself to its enlightenment. She went inde- 
pendent of any church or Board, and has faithfully sowed 
the good seed in bazaars, temples and homes, by the road- 
side and among lepers. She secured a godly native evan- 
gelist to aid in the work. In 1893 she heard of our work- 
ers and their work at Bilaspur, and visited them. The 
visit was a mutual joy. The result, she united with the 
little band of disciples there. In 1894 she came into the 
employ of the Christian Woman's Board of Missions, 
bringing her work with her. She was then sixty-five 
years old. She had a compound, but her buildings were 
meager. She lived in a little house on wheels nine years. 
She needed associate workers and a home. In 1895 our 
Board sent to her Misses M. Alice Spradlin and Bessie 
Farrar. At the opening of war in the Philippine Islands, 



114 TWENTIETH CENT UR Y 

Miss Spradlin left India to go as a nurse among the sol- 
diers of the United States. In 1898 Dr. Olivia A. Bald- 
win, of Texas, and Miss Annie Agnes Lackey, of Arkan- 
sas, were sent to re-enforce this station ; Miss Baldwin 
to have charge of the orphanage work, and Miss Lackey 
to do zenana work. In 1899 Dr. Mary Longdon, of Penn- 
sylvania, was sent to assume the medical work. During 
this year Miss Freddie Ehrenberg, of Australia, learning 
of our people and plea, cast her lot with us. An excellent 
bungalow was built in 1899, a large orphanage in 1899 
and 1900. A second building was added to the orphanage 
plant in the autumn of 1900, in order that large numbers 
of famine children might be accommodated. At this time 
Miss Ramsden was secured as an assistant. 

Mahoha. — On returning to India in 1894 from her fur- 
lough in this country, Miss Graybiel was accompanied by 
Miss Adelaide G-ail Frost. They opened a new station at 
Mahoba, N. W. Provinces, and were cordially received by 
the people. In 1895 Miss Elsie H. G-ordon was added to 
this station, also a native evangelist and his wife, Mr. and 
Mrs. Christian Benjamin. In 1896 a physician, Dr. Rosa 
Lee Oxer, was sent out there. Mr. Wm. Burford, of 
South Australia, who attended the Convention at Spring- 
field, 111., that year, kindly contributed her passage 
money ($400), and Dr. and Mrs. H. Gerould, of Cleveland, 
pay her salary. In 1899 Miss Susie L. Rawson, of Ohio, 
was sent to Mahoba to do kindergartening among the or- 
phanage little ones. In 1900 Miss Graybiel and Miss 
Frost came home for needed rest. Miss May Browne was 
secured, to have charge of the school work in Miss Frost's 
stead ; Dr. Oxer has charge of the orphanage. There are 
120 children in the orphanage. The church has almost 
one hundred members. This station has excellent build- 
ings, the principal ones being the bungalow, orphanage, 
orphanage annex and school chapel. 

A. McLean visited this station. He says : "The bun- 
galow is surrounded by temples, shrines, idols, sacred 
trees, old palaces and suttee mounds. It is a light in a 
dark place. " During the famine of 1896-7 they instituted 
what was called the "Children's Kitchen," where within 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 115 

sixty days they gave out more than 19,700 meals to starv- 
ing ones. 

UNITED STATES. 

The first permanent work undertaken by our Board in 
the home land was in Montana. In 1882 our only two 
churches in that territory, at Helena and Deer Lodge, un- 
der the leadership of Wm. L. Irvine and Massena Bullard, 
proposed to the Board that they would raise $1,000, pro- 
vided we would furnish an additional $1,000, to put an 
evangelist in that field. As a consequence, in October, 
1883, M. L. Streator and Galen Wood, both of Ohio, took 
charge of those two churches, respectively. Neither had 
a church building, but each congregation met in a court- 
house. Helena had thirty-eight members ; Deer Lodge, 
forty-three. Each congregation proceeded to build a 
house of worship the next year. Also, in 1884, congrega- 
tions were organized, and church houses were begun in 
Corvallis and Anaconda, with W. D. Lear minister at the 
former, and J. L. Phoenix at the latter place, and preach- 
ing was begun at several other points. The work has 
been very successful. 

Ann Arho7\ — Ann Arbor, the seat of Michigan Univer- 
sity, one of the largest and most popular institutions for 
higher education in America, contains about fourteen 
thousand inhabitants. There are about t ree thousand 
students in the university, coming from every State in the 
Uniou and all parts of the civilized world. Many of these 
are seekers after truth in its broadest and best sense. In 
1886 the Michigan State Board of Missions named this city 
to the Disciples as a most important point in which to 
plant a church when the way should open for it. At once 
the Christian Woman's Missionary Society of Michigan 
and the Christian Woman's Board of Missions began plan- 
ning to accomplish this work. At that time a godly 
woman, Mrs. Sarah Hawley Scott, was a member of the 
Central Church of Christ in Detroit, and of the Auxiliary 
in that church. In February, 1887, she rested from her 
labors. She bequeathed most of her estate to her Aux- 
iliary, the Christian Woajan's Board of Missions, the 
Michigan State Board and G-. C. M. C. These four parties 



116 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

soon agreed among themselves that all the bequests, 
amounting to $12,590.33, should be used in the erection of 
a church building in Ann Arbor, with the understanding 
that the Christian Woman's Board of Missions take charge 
of the work and foster a mission there. A !ot was pur- 
^ased by the Disciples of Michigan, and the foundation 
for the building laid in 1888. Delays in settling the Scott 
estate and in securing additional funds so retarded the 
work that it was not completed till 1891. The entire cost, 
including lot, heating, furniture, etc., was about $17,000. 
C. A. Young began work there as pastor Aug. 15, 1891. 
The dedication services were held October 11, B. B. 
Tyler, of New York, preaching the sermon. The church 
was organized October 25, with twenty-nine members, 
most of them students in the university. About twenty 
citizens were added during a meeting in January, 1892. 
The growth of the congregation in numbers and spiritual- 
ity has been gradual and steady since that time. 

In July, 1898, Mrs. Helen E. Moses was called to In- 
dianapolis to serve as Bible Chair Secretary, in order to 
carry out the recommendation of the Convention of 1896^ 
that $25,000 be raised for the endowment of the English 
Bible Chair. This amount was raised by the time of the 
Cincinnati Convention, 1899. In 1897 this work was in- 
augurated in the Universities of Virginia and Georgia, 
under the auspices of the C. W. B. M., the churches in 
these States being responsible for the expenses. In 1898 
Col. John B. Cary, of Richmond, Va., who was a loyal 
friend of the Bible Chair enterprise, died. His family 
knew of his deep interest in Bible work for the University 
of Virginia, so gave in his memory the sum of $10,000 to 
found the John B. Cary Bible Lectureship in the Uni- 
versit}'' of Virginia. Dr. Charles A. Young was placed in 
charge of the work. During 1899 sixty-three students 
took the courses of Bible study offered. Aug. 1, 1900, 
there was $17,000 in the endowment fund of the John B. 
Cary Lectureship. 

Our Mountam Missions. — For several years the sisters 
in Kentucky were sustaining a "Mountain Mission" in 
their State, building up a school and church at Hazel 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 117 

Green, Wolfe County. In 1886 this was provisionally 
placed in the care of the C. W. B. M. In 1888 it was 
formally and fully transferred to this Board and became 
one of it? charges. 

Such, in brief, is the report of the work as I have gath- 
ered it from the "Historical Sketch of the Christian 
Woman's Board of Missions," compiled by Miss Elmira J. 
Dickinson. You will see that these women have under- 
taken the difficult fields. They are not building on any 
man's foundation. They have a mission in Mexico and in 
Porto Rico. They are aiding the work in twenty-six 
States and Territories in the United States, and in many 
places the work would fail if their support should be with- 
drawn. They have erected a number of permanent build- 
ings in foreign fields, and this holy ministry has grown to 
be a wonderful success, and G-od is abundantly blessing 
the work of this noble band of righteous women who take 
this important matter to God continually. 

HOUR OF PRAYER. 

In July, 1887, Joseph King earnestly appealed to our 
Executive Committee " to fix upon and name a day and 
hour in each week for prayer, when all whose hearts move 
them to pray may retire to their closets and make united 
supplication for the cause of missions, for missionaries 
and for the churches. What an inspiration to our mis- 
sionaries to know that on a certain hour in every week 
thousands pray for them ! And, above all, it would make 
glad the heart of Christ." This was brought before the 
National Convention in October and warmly approved. 
Five o'clock Lord's Day evening is the appointed time. It 
is a sweet, a holy hour, God's benediction rests upon it. 
Jesus blesses it. Let every one observe it. 

The literature of the C. W. B. M. has grown from 
nothing to a thirty-two-page monthly with a circulation 
of 13,500. This magazine is ably edited by Mrs. Helen E. 
Moses, of Indianapolis, Ind., and is packed full of infor- 
mation, for fifty cents a year. Other publications, chiefly 
for the young, are issued regularly from their office. They 



118 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

have leaflets and pamphlets by the thousands that will 
thoroughly post you in all their work. 

Since 1882 this Society has sent out forty-one mission- 
aries; money raised since 1874, $1,036,194.83. Grand 
work. Glorious hope. Sweet realization awaits every 
patient toiler in the C. W. B. M. 

CONCLUSION. 

The foregoing sets forth some of the work of the Board, 
but the best can not be told. No words can reveal the 
largeness of heart, richness of faith, sweetness of hope, 
blessedness of life that have come, not only to those re- 
ceiving the ministries of these women, but much more to 
the women themselves. All have been lifted into a higher, 
holier life, nearer to God, in this service. The Saviour's 
words have been abundantly verified : '' It is more blessed 
to give than to receive. " 

As many members of the Christian Woman's Board of 
Missions have contributed to this sketch, it may now go 
forth as a brief autobiography of the Christian Woman's 
Board of Missions. 

The offices where all this work is planned are at 152 East 
Market Street, Indianapolis, Ind. Here the Correspond- 
ing Secretary, the Treasurer and the Superintendent of 
Young People's Work, with their assistants, seven alto- 
gether, try faithfully to serve the work. Here are kept 
the sets of books for receipts and disbursements of the 
various funds, for subscriptions to the papers, for mort- 
gages and other purposes. Here incoming and outgoing 
missionaries, also friends and coworkers in the Christian 
Woman's Board of Missions, come from far and near for 
Christian greeting, counsel, conference and communion, 
receiving cordial welcome and bestowing gracious bene- 
diction. 




Mrs. Helen E. Moses, 

Editor of Missionary' Tidings. 



SEMMOJ^S AND ADDRESSES. 121 



FLORENCE MARY HAGGARD. 

The following address was delivered by Sister Haggard 
in Minneapolis, Minn., at the C. W. B. M. session of the 
National Conventions in October, 1901. She prizes the 
many good things said and written to her concerning this 
address. But we have not overcome her modesty suffi- 
ciently to get any of these commendations. 

Sister Haggard is the oldest daughter of Barton W. 
Johnson. Her mother is a sister of John W. Allen, one 
of the Chicago pastors. Mrs. T. W. Grafton, of Ann 
Arbor, is one of her sisters. Dec. 7, 1880, she mar- 
ried Alfred M. Haggard, now dean of the College of the 
Bible, Drake University, Des Moines, la. For three years 
she has been president of the Iowa Christian Women's 
Board of Missions. In 1879 and 1880 she served on the 
staff of the Christian-Evangel I'st, first in Oskaloosa, then in 
Chicago. Readers of the Snndai/school Evangelist at that 
time will remember her as "Aunt Tottie. " 

She has been more than an ordinary helper in all the 
work of her husband, which is sketched in another place. 
Bro. Haggard delights to tell how her 'good old grand- 
father, John Johnson, of Washington, 111., once settled a 
family discussion as to the comparative merits of himself 
and his wife. Some one wondered if she helped write 
the sermons. One of her old playmates doubted her 
ability. But John Johnson came to her rescue as follows : 
" She is a heap the smartest of the two. " 

She was born in Eureka, 111., Dec. 7, 1859. For sev- 
eral years her home was in Bethany, W. Va., where her 
father was one of the Faculty of Bethany College. She 
attended Oskaloosa College, and would have graduated 
had not her father's paper gone to Chicago. As a matter 
of course, she is perfectly at home in the atmosphere of 
Drake University and is a favorite with the students and 
Facultv. 




Mrs. a. M. Haggard, 

Des Moines, la. 



122 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 123 



WOMAN IN THE KINGDOM. 

MRS. FLORENCE HAGGARD. 

On the river Lahn, close to the Rhine, is the little 
town of Ems, a pretty watering-place. It was for years 
a favorite resort of the old Emperor Wil.iam, and many 
stories of his visits to Ems are recounted. Upon a cer- 
tain occasion he paid a visit to an orphan asylum in the 
neighborhood. A class of children was reciting. Look- 
ing at one of the little girls, the Emperor, taking an 
orange from his pocket, said : 

"My little fraulein, can you tell me to what kingdom 
this belongs ?" 

" To the vegetable kingdom, sire," she replied. 

"Very good," said Kaiser Wilhelm. Then, presenting 
a gold piece, he inquired : 

"To what kingdom does this belong ? " 

"To the mineral kingdom," she promptly answered. 

"Weil done, " exclaimed the Emperor. "But now," 
he added, " to what kingdom do I belong ? " 

The child hesitated and hung her head. She could not 
say that her beloved Emperor belonged to the animal 
kingdom. After a moment she answered brightly : " Your 
Majesty belongs to the kingdom of G-od." 

The old Emperor smiled, but there were tears in 
his eyes as he said: "My little one, I hope you are 
right." 

The little German girl felt the need of another king- 
dom above the animal. The world recognizes this need. 
Quatrafages, the distinguished French scientist, pleads 
for four kingdoms. He accepts the mineral and vegetable, 
and divides the animal kingdom into two, making the ani- 
mal and the human. He argues that conscience, the 
heaven idea, and faith in God are great dividing lines be- 
tween the animal and human worlds. The Christian world 
would add to these yet another — the little girl's kingdom 
of God. 



124 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

My theme is, woman in this kingdom. It is a real 
kingdom, with Jesus Christ as its King. It has been 
here for almost two thousand years ; it will be here until 
time is no more, and the kingdom on earth becomes the 
glorious kingdom of heaven. 

When this old world began its course, all was in har- 
mony with God. The first three kingdoms knew nothing 
of enmity to God. With the coming of man, a bitter 
enemy was revealed- -one who neither slumbered nor 
slept, relentless as fate. He laid hold upon and marred 
God's greatest works. He introduced sorrow, defeat and 
death into this beautiful world. He disinherited the 
possessors of the beautiful garden. He fitted the whole 
world for the deluge. He kindled fires which swept the 
cities of the plain into destruction. He filled the life of 
Jacob with sorrow, and sought to swallow up the Hebrew 
people in Egyptian bondage. He would have destroyed 
the children of Israel, root and branch, by idolatry and 
repeated captivities. He plotted against the Christ from 
the day of His birth, and at last nailed Him to the cross. 
He led the Roman Government in three centuries of 
slaughter of unresisting Christians, from Nero to Dio- 
cletian. He sought to wipe out Christianity through the 
barbarian hordes from the north. Again he attempted it, 
but God met him on the field of Tours. He very nearly 
annihilated Christianity in the "Dark Ages." He slew 
Huss and Jerome of Prague, and Savonarola. He dug up 
the ashes of Wyclif, and only left the ashes of Luther and 
Calvin and Wesley because they were in the hand of God. 

In this awful battle of the ages, when right seemed 
forever on the scaffold and wrong forever on the throne, 
woman has been crushed and mangled more than her 
brother, man. And why ? Did Satan take note on the 
morning of creation? Did he see how God gave her a 
unique place of honor, completing in her His wonderful 
works ? If so, he must then and there have determined 
to strike the heart of God by venting his hottest hate on 
womankind. In this long war on God and His kingdom, 
who has suffered most ? I answer, woman. We need but 
turn our faces to any Christless land to read this awful 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 125 

truth. Joseph Cook, after many months spent in heathen 
lands, spoke of woman's condition, where Christ had not 
redeemed her from thralldom. He said: "While in the 
southern Pacific Ocean I was looking toward the Fiji 
Islands, and was told, on indisputable authority, that in 
this paradise of the great deep, young girls were once 
fattened and sold in the public market as stall-fed cattle, 
for food! We are informed by entirely trustworthy 
African travelers that sometimes, when a king of the 
tropical region of the ' Dark Continent ' dies, a river is 
turned out of its course by artificial means, a pit is dug 
in its dry channel, a score of human beings called his 
wives are put into this pit alive, a platform of wood is 
constructed above them, other wives are placed on the 
platform alive, clasping his limbs from the support on 
which he lies a corpse, and then the earth is shoveled ?nto 
the pit upon all this mass of living humanity, and the 
river is brought back to its course! But," he adds, "in 
India I have seen worse things." And then he pictures 
the polygamy, concubinage, prostitution, infanticide, ter- 
rible slavery enforced upon widows, child-marriage, igno- 
rance, wretchedness and abuse which often finds sweet re- 
lief in suicide. This, my dear friends, is but a picture of 
woman in all ages, in all lands where God has been cast out. 

Why has woman been the target of Satan's bitter at- 
tacks ? Upon whom Gi-od centers special interest, Satan 
focuses awful hate. Whom Cod begets by the Holy 
Spirit, Satan would slay with Herod's sword. Whom 
God heralds at birth by angel choirs, Satan determines to 
wickedly kill. Whom God honors in the baptismal waters, 
Satan tempts in the wilderness. Whom God glorifies on 
the mountain of transfiguration, Satan crucifies on the 
mountain of Golgotha. In her creation God commissioned 
woman to be a helper of man. Hers was a high and holy 
mission, the greatest of all great things, service. This 
very commission drew down upon her the wrath of the 
enemy of all good and marked her for attack. 

The knighthood of Heaven has not only come to the 
rescue of woman in this age-long struggle, but has also 
crowned her with many honors. 



126 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The greatest event of all history is the advent of 
Christ. In it woman is wondrously honored. More 
miraculous than woman's creation, more astonishing 
than the birth of Isaac, is the birth of Christ. God 
manifest in human flesh! Weak enough to die and go 
into the doors of death ; Godlike enough to smite and 
crush the head of him who had the power of death, and 
to deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their 
lifetime subject to bondage. For such an one God might 
have created a body, but He did not. He honored mother- 
hood and childhood by placing the Christ-child under the 
heart of Mary and in her arms. He glorified childhood 
by the babe in the manger, heralded by angels, seen by 
the shepherds, and visited by the wise men from the east. 
When the mothers brought little children to the Master 
for a blessing, what a calamity for motherhood and child- 
hood had he sided with the disciples and sent the mothers 
away with the children untouched by His arms ! But one 
loss could have been greater : a refusal on the part of 
God to send His Son into the world by the way of the 
home, through birth and childhood, without the help of 
motherhood. 

Aye, Mary, truly have all generations called thee 
blessed and favored of womankind. In the setting up 
of His kingdom, Christ Jesus had no more loyal helpers 
than the Marys and Marthas and Priscillas of the early 
church. The poetry and art of the world have found no 
more touching theme than the fidelity of those who were 
last at the cross, first at the grave, and first to believe in 
the risen Lord. On God's roll of sainted womanhood 
will be found the names of thousands who have loved and 
served in such a quiet way that history has had no large 
place for them. Others, in God's providence, have been 
led into larger fields of service, and their deeds are re- 
corded both in the books of time and of eternity. Of the 
many who have been thus honored, I can mention but a 
few. 

In Paul's second missionary journey he is kept from 
the north and the shores of the Black Sea, and also kept 
from Ephesus in the south. Why is he providentially 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 127 

guided to the seacoast, near the site of the ancient 
Troy ? How does it come that a ship is ready that very 
morning for that unusual route ? Because the gospel of 
Jesus Christ has not been regularly introduced into 
Europe. And because a woman is praying to God for 
herself and for the people of the continent. Is not 
Christianity in Europe an answer to the prayers of Lydia? 

You remember how Monica followed her profligate son 
from Africa to Italy ; how she did not despair when for 
so many years Augustine clung to his scholarly skepti- 
cism. She hoped and prayed when her son's head and 
heart and soul seemed utterly lost to God. She was a 
woman of faith, and God gave her hope and courage ; her 
prayers were answered, aud the profligate Augustine be- 
came a teacher to influence thought for more than a thou- 
sand years. From her the world has learned that the 
prayer of a righteous woman availeth much. The tides 
of history are often turned by a woman's prayers ! 

At one time Luther was heartsick and discouraged in 
his battle with the superstitions of the Middle Ages. 
One morning his wife appeared in mourning. In surprise 
he asked her who had died. 

'' Do you not know ? " she replied. " God in heaven is 
dead." 

"How can you talk such nonsense?" Luther ex- 
claimed. " How can God die ? He is immortal, and will 
live through all eternity. " 

" Is that really true ? " she asked. 

"Of course," said Luther. "As surely as there is a 
God in heaven, so sure is it that He can never die. " 

"And, yet," she said, "you are hop3lessly discour- 
aged." 

From that time Luther felt that one man with the 
living God was a host, aud that the gates of hell could not 
prevail against him. In our reverence for this mighty 
reformer, let us give a passing thought to Luther's wife. 
Many a woman has been the secret inspirer of man's 
noblest deeds. 

The greatest eras of English history, as all admit, are 
the Elizabethan and Victorian. When the young Princess 



128 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Victoria received the message that she was queen of the 
British Empire, she exclaimed, "I will be good." And 
on her knees she pledged herself to serve, first her God, 
and then her people. Her whole life was in harmony with 
that famous utterance when a foreisfn prince asked the 
secret of the greatness of her kingdom. Taking a Bible 
in her hand, she said: "This is the secret of England's 
greatness." 

God has also honored woman in the great fields of 
philanthropy and reform. In those good works the nine- 
teenth century leads all others. And in them none has 
served more faithfully than woman. 

High in the list of those who have given lasting bless- 
ing to the world stands the name of Elizabeth Fry. In 
her life these words of Christ found fulfillment : "I was 
sick and in prison, and ye visited me." She visited and 
talked of Christ in the English jails. They were loath- 
some, and the treatment of the prisoners was inhuman. 
She prevailed upon Parliament to amend the laws for 
prisoners, and began a world-wide prison reform. Every 
man in prison to-day owes something to this good woman. 
In the judgment-day many will thank Elizabeth Fry for a 
start in the better life. 

Florence Nightingale and Clara Barton learned from 
the Master to care for the sick and wounded on battle- 
fields. Where storm and pestilence wrought havoc, they 
hastened in His name. Ease and home could not hold 
them back. Neither sneers nor entreaties could drive 
them from the path of God-given service. Florence 
Nightingale tells in a few words the story of her life. 
She says : " If I could give you any information concern- 
ing my life, it would be to show how a woman of very 
ordinary ability has been led by God, in strange and un- 
accustomed paths, to work in His service. And if I could 
tell you all, you would see how God has done all and I 
nothing. I have worked hard, very hard, that is all, and 
I never refused God anything." What a door of useful- 
ness is open to those who will not refuse God anything ! 

Maud Ballington Booth is another of the Christlike 
ones whose meat and drink is to do the Father's will. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 129 

Like her Master, she fears not to sit at the table with 
publicans and sinners, believing that sin-sick souls need 
the touch of a loving heart. 

On the honor roll of the nineteenth-century heroines 
must be placed the name of Lady Henry Somerset. The 
world offered its richest pleasures for her soul. "One 
day," she said, " as I sat in the midst of idleness and lux- 
ury, a voice seemed to say. Follow thou me." She an- 
swered, "I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord." 
Wealth, influence, talent, all she laid at her Master's feet 
for use in His kingdom. We love her because of her 
bravery in fighting sin in high as well as in low places. 
We honor her for her efforts in behalf of social purity in 
the English army, and for her services to the fatherless and 
widowed. How tenderly she studies the home welfare of 
laborers ! How grandly she pleads for the overthrow of 
the rum power 1 In her service for humanity she has 
proven herself a monument of Christian heroism. 

When we speak of Lady Somerset, involuntarily we 
think of Frances Willard, her fast friend and leader in all 
good works. Hers was a wonderful life ; raised in the 
obscurity of the pioneer West, without the help of influ- 
ential or wealthy connection ; surmounting prejudice and 
all kinds of obstacles, she became famous on both sides of 
the ocean. Why is she ranked by many thoughtful stu- 
dents of history as the queen of American womanhood? 
When she died, why was her name entwined with that of 
Queen Victoria? They were called "the two greatest 
women of the nineteenth century." Jesus said, "He 
that would be great among you, let him serve." In 
Frances Willard this law was fulfilled. In her young 
womanhood she laid aside ease and honor, choosing a life 
of hard service in an unpopular cause. Like Moses, she 
chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather 
than to enjoy the pleasures of the world. In a very true 
sense she esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches 
than the treasures of any modern Egypt. Verily, she has 
had her recompense of reward. Like Abraham and Sarah, 
before death she had a divine pledge of the fulfillment of 
her faith. Like theirs, hers was God-given, not a son, but 



130 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

a host of spiritual children, banded into such an organi- 
zation as the founders of Monasticism never knew. When 
God, in that last day, shall sa}^, "Well done," multitudes 
innumerable will answer, "Amen." 

While the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, with 
a faith like that of Joshua, is praying aud working for the 
downfall of the liquor power, others are banded together 
to relieve the awful suffering that follows in its wake. 
They tell us that the Directory of Charities for the city of 
London is one of the largest books in the world. New 
York and one hundred lesser cities in the world have sim- 
ilar volumes. These tell of feeding the hungry, clothing 
the naked, preaching the gospel to the poor, rescuing the 
fallen, teaching the ignorant, emplojdng the idle, helping 
the prisoners, gathering into hospitals the sick and dying, 
caring for the lame and blind and imbecile. They tell of an 
intelligent body of men and women, who are not only doing 
the work, but at the same time studying causes with a 
view to prevention. And, dear friends, the majority 
of the good Samaritans engaged in these good works are 
women. 

Perhaps the greatest honor conferred upon womanhood 
by the King of the kingdom is admission to mission work 
and its roster of martyrs. Until Christ came, the ideal of 
love was for a friend to lay down his life for a friend. 
Since His coming, love has risen to the sublime height 
where an enemy feels its strange power. The cross is 
now and ever will be the sublimest manifestation of love. 
The most wonderful words ever spoken by human lips or 
stamped upon the printed page are, " God so loved the 
world that he gave his only begotten Son." In His king- 
dom woman has taken up that cross of love and borne it 
all the centuries. Her blood has been seed for the church. 
Under Saul of Tarsus not only men, but women, suffered. 
"QuoYadis" truthfully portrays woman's share in the 
awful Neronian persecution. In the second and third cen- 
turies hundreds of timid women and young girls revealed 
the sublimest courage in all kinds of martyrdom. Nor 
were the centuries from the fourth to the seventeenth des- 
titute of testimony from martyred women. The spirit of 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 131 

martyrdom is not yet dead. Our own day has as noble 
heroines as ever gave their lives to God. 

The year 1900 will be known in the history of missions 
as the martyr year. In that year, in China alone, 186 per- 
sons were made martyrs for the word of God and the 
testimony of Jesus. Tears flow down our cheeks as we 
read of the noble men and women who counted not their 
lives dear unto themselves, but died for the faith. The last 
letter from one of these reveals a wonderful triumph. Mrs. 
Lizzie Atwater, daus^hter-in-law of our own beloved J. M. 
Atwater, who, with her husband and little child and un- 
born babe, were brutally murdered, wrote, just before her 
death, words which are a precious legacy to dear ones in 
this land— words which make the whole church richer in 
spiritual power. Od Aug. 2, 1901, she said: "Heaven 
seems very near in these last hours, and I feel quite calm. 
There will be a joyful welcome for us all above. I am 
fixing my thoughts more and more on the glorious here- 
after, and it gives me wonderful peace. God bless you 
all. Yours in blessed hope, L. A. " Three days previous, 
in a city near by, forty-five of her fr.ends and fellow- 
workers were publicly beheaded, their hearts torn out and 
their heads placed in baskets and stuck on poles in front of 
the yamen ! ! This awful news had just reached her when 
she wrote. The next day she wrote again, the last words 
ever received from her. After once more mentioning the 
horrible butchery, she says : " How am I to write all the 
horrible details of these days ? We are now waiting our 
call home. I am preparing for the end very quietly and 
calmly. The Lord is wonderfully near me. I was very 
restless and excited while there was a chance of life; but 
God has taken away that feeling, and now I just pray for 
grace to meet the terrible end bravely. The pain will 
soon be over, and, oh! the sweetness of the welcome 
above. My little baby will go with me. I think God will 
give it to me in heaven, and my dear mother will be so 
glad to see us. I can not imagine the Saviour's welcome ! 
Oh, that will compensate for all these daj^s of suspense 1 
I do not regret coming to China, but I am sorry I have 



132 T WE NT IE TR CENT UR Y ' 

done so little. My married life, two precious years, has 
been so very full of happiness. " 

Our Saviour, so recently in the garden of agony, with 
wounds in feet and hands and side, in the hour of His as- 
cension, said, " GrO ye into all the world and preach 

THE gospel to EVERY CREATURE ; AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU 

TO THE END OP THE WORLD. ' ' These words came as a call 
to Mrs. Atwater and scores of other noble women. To 
many it has been a call to death. To others it came as a 
call to living service. In organized mission work one of 
the richest fields of service has been opened to every 
woman in the land. The question was recently asked in a 
company of cultured ladies and gentlemen, " What event 
of the past century is most important and far-reaching in 
its power for good to the human race?" Answers fol- 
lowed in quick succession: ''Discoveries in medical sci- 
ence, explorations in Africa, the application of electricity 
to the service of man. " At last a lady gave this answer : 
"The higher education of woman and her service in giv- 
ing the gospel to the secluded women of the world. In 
other words, the organization of women's missionary 
boards." At first the company was skeptical, but a little 
discussion vindicated the position. The Christian women 
of the world are organized as never before for a crusade 
against the strongholds of Satan. Alone her efforts are 
feeble, but in union what strength is revealed ! It is no 
small thing when thousands of women are at work creat- 
ing the missionary spirits in their hearts, in their homes 
and in their own churches. The work thus begun will 
reach and influence the ends of the earth. Few of us can 
go or send one to teach those who sit in darkness, but, 
thanks be to God, He has opened the way for every woman 
in the land to be a partner in the saving of the world. 

" Think of the honor He bestows. 
And let it thrill your soul ; 
He takes your little part and mine, 
And makes this glorious whole." 

In this greatest work of the past century we have but 
a glimpse of how God can use consecrated, united Chris- 
tian women. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 133 

The kingdom in the past and the kingdom in the pres- 
ent suggest the kingdom in the future. In the future lies 
the greatest victories of our King. The past has many, 
but the future has more. How complete was the downfall 
of paganism after three centuries of martyr blood ! What 
a Waterloo when God hurled Martin Luther and the re- 
formers down upon the medieval church ! What a victory 
when the sunrise of missions came with Carey ! What a 
mountain was sunk in the sea when slavery was plucked 
up ! What a glorious past ! But the future is greater. 
Our God has but well begun His work of victory. Be- 
tween the Armageddon, with King Alcohol and sodomy on 
the one hand and the destruction of his last enemy, Death, 
lie His greatest victories. In securing these victories He 
will have the help of all real women. When the decree 
goes forth, ''Lift up your heads, ye everlasting gates, 
and let the King of glory come in," when the triumphal 
entry of ages is made, God's myriads of women will be 
there. 

Woman 's large place in the work of missions has made 
imperative for her a larger place, in future, at home. She 
finds the Bible a blessing in far-away lands ; but our po- 
litical, rum-soaked civilization she finds a curse and blight 
to all her foreign work. It will and does crowd into her 
territory. She must come home and raise the moral tone 
or fail in her work abroad. In mission work she finds 
Christ just what the nations need ; denorainationalism 
blocks her way. She must come home and help to remedy 
this evil before she can do much abroad. So it is becom- 
ing more and more evident that the core of the missionary 
problem and the hope of the future is in America. To do 
her part in conquering the world for Christ, she must 
throw heart and soul into all lines of service. She must 
be a reformer of all evils. Home lands are the fountains 
which must supply the mission lands of the world. Are 
not these fountains, like the springs of Jericho before the 
prophet of God, full of moral rot and death? May not 
Christian womanhood be the cruse of salt to heal these 
waters ? When social and political and church life at 
home is purified, then, and not till then, may we look for 



134 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Pentecosts in Asia aad Africa. What will that century 
be when women holds the balance of moral power ? Will 
not public sentiment then empty the jails ? Will men 
then spend millions for tobacco ? Can the rum power 
then rule ? Would Christian (?) civilization then be one 
of the greatest drawbacks to Foreign Missions ? Would 
the millennium then be so far off ? The present is prepar- 
ing an answer to these questions. Certain it is that 
woman's place in the kingdom is enlarging. She is build- 
ing for the future on foundations deep afld strong. Plucked 
from the deepest depths, why should she not rise to the 
loftiest heights ? Why should she not fulfill the glorious 
prophecy of her creation ? Why should not the future 
crown her with her greatest laurels? 

She is peculiarly fitted to remove the one great ob- 
stacle in the way of the coming triumph of the kingdom. 
She is not the cause of the curse of division of forces. 
What causes and perpetuates division ? Philosophy has 
been and is a leader in the work of division. From Soc- 
rates to Herbert Spencer you can read division. Theol- 
ogy has been and is another captain of division. Political 
ambition forms the third in this great triumvirate. Can 
philosophers ever unite ? How about Hume and Locke 
and Spencer? Can theologians ever unite ? How about 
Augustine and Luther and Calvin and Wesley ? Can poli- 
ticians ever unite ? How about Tory and Liberal, Demo- 
crat and Republican ? Philosophy must give way for the 
coming kingdom. Theology must not bar the way of 
the salvation of the masses. Political ambition must not 
defeat the triumph of righteousness. We can not look 
for victory to the philosophers ; we have little hope in the 
theologians and the politician is our despair. We must 
find some combination of forces little tainted with philos- 
ophy, divorced, if need be, from theology, and above self- 
ish political ambition. Such a combination of forces may 
hope to answer the prayer of oar Master on the night of 
His betrayal, His prayer for unity, that the whole world 
may believe in Him. 

Who have kept themselves most out of philosophy ? 
The women. Who have read most clearly the certain de- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 135 

feat of righteousness on account of selfish political am- 
bition ? Who have undertaken a union for the purpose of 
honeycombing the hell-gate of progress, the rum traffic, 
with God's own dynamite? The women. In the great 
moral battle of the ages, whose blood has flowed more 
freely than that of the women martyrs ? After Christ on 
the cross and in the garden, who has suffered more than 
women ? In the exaltation and glorification of Christ, 
who shall sit closer to His throne ? "Who are these ar- 
rayed in robes of white, and whence came they ? These 
are they which came out of great tribulation, and have 
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of 
the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, 
and serve him day and night in his temple." 

O God, make Thine handmaidens worthy of the place 
which Thou hast prepared for them in Thy kingdom on 
earth, and fit them for the rewards Thou hast in store for 
those who love and serve in the kingdom of heaven. 

Des Moines, la. 




Mrs. D. a. Wickizer. 

Bloomfield, la. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 137 



ALICE MORGAN WICKIZER 

Was born Dec. 23, 1866. She inherited the legacy of those 
whose early life is spent upon the farm, a strong constitu- 
tion and a love for labor. By right of inheritance she was 
endowed with strong religious principles, and an ambition 
for mental and spiritual development. Her father, W. A. 
Morgan, was a native of Ohio, and in the early days of the 
fifties came to Iowa, homesteading land in Keokuk County. 
Her mother comes from Kentucky parentage and descends 
from a line of preachers. Was born in Indiana, from 
whence she came in 1856 with her parents to Iowa. It was 
while she and Mr. Morgan were both engaged in teaching 
school that they met and afterward united their energies, 
helping to make and to lay the foundation of a great State 
upon the prairies of Iowa. To the faithfulness of these 
parents in Christian principles and zeal are largely due the 
consecrated lives of their children. Alice was the sixth 
in order of birth of a family of seven children. Three of 
her brothers, F. A., O. T., and L. W. Morgan, were or- 
dained to the ministry, and her sister Clara is the wife of 
B. A. Wilkinson, one of our faithful preachers now in Ne- 
braska. Her early education was received in the district 
school, and, following the example of many others, she did 
service as a teacher in the building where she experienced 
her first day of school. When in her seventeenth year 
she entered Drake University, graduating with the class 
of '90. As a student she ranked high among her class- 
mates, and received frequent recognition of her ability in 
the school. It was here that she met D. A. Wickizer, and 
on June 24, 1890, they were united in marriage by Presi- 
dent Ayls worth. She at once entered heartily into the work, 
and few ministers have ever had more devoted and conse- 
crated help. Mrs. Wickizer has been active in C. W. B. 
M. work in Iowa, as organizer and as president of that 
organization. Also was for a time State superintendent 
of Junior work. Her many addresses at conventions and 



138 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

upon special occasions have always merited the apprecia- 
tion that they receive. She has received many beautiful 
tributes in press notices and otherwise regarding her ad- 
dresses. Of recent, her family cares have deprived her 
of doing much public work except with the congregation 
for which her husband labors. Hers is one of those lives 
that inspires people who come in contact with her, caus- 
ing them to long for a purer life, and a larger spiritual 
development. 

It has been my good fortune to know the subject of 
this sketch from early childhood, and to watch her active 
and useful life. If her husband, D. A., was unable to fill 
his pulpit, he was never at a loss for a substitute, which 
he found in the person of his devoted and accomplished 
wife, and the audience was never disappointed. Sister 
W. is of pleasing address, instructive and Scriptural. She 
is a charming entertainer in her home. L. C. Wilson. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 139 



THE LIFE-SAVma SERVICE. 

MRS. ALICE M. WICKIZER. 

In 1789 the vessel "Adventure," of Newcastle, Eng- 
land, lay stranded only three hundred yards from shore. 
One by one her crew dropped into the raging billows be- 
low in the presence of hundreds of spectators, none of 
whom dared to venture in an ordinary boat to attempt 
their rescue. An excited meeting followed ; premiums 
were offered for the best model of a life- boat. Several 
were made, but it was more than a quarter of a century 
before public sentiment was sufficiently aroused to the 
need of a life-saving system. 

This agitation was begun by Sir William Hilliary, who 
lived on the Isle of Man, where he had many opportuni- 
ties of seeing the great necessity for action, having saved 
with his own hands, with the poor equipments then fur- 
nished, over three hundred lives. This agitation led to 
the organization of " The Royal National Life-boat Insti- 
tution " in 1824. It was not until twenty-five years later 
that the United States inaugurated a similar system, per- 
fected in 1871. The system of the United States is now 
conducted at the expense of about one-half million dollars 
a year, with an average of eleven hundred lives saved 
annually. The means used, principally, are, the life-boat, 
the life-line, the lighthouse, brave men to equip and con- 
duct them all. 

Some of the qualities of a successful life- boat are buoy- 
ancy, stability, strength and speed. The agitation of 
a harmonious, successful system for saving the lives of 
perishing seamen, resulting in the organization of the 
various life-saving societies, began about the same time as 
the discussion of the question concerning the saving of 
souls throughout the world, resulting in the organization 
of the numerous missionary societies. Both are humane, 
both are right, but as eternity is greater than time, as the 
universe is infinitely greater than this earth on which we 



140 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

dwell, so is the salvation of a soul incomparably more im- 
portant than the saving of the human body. Even as the 
Author of our life-saving, soul-saving system says, " Fear 
not them which kill the body, but rather fear him which 
is able to destroy both soul and body." He has sent us, 
His disciples, out as life-boats carrying the life-line, the 
word of God, and exhorting us to let our lights so shine 
that others, seeing our good works, may be led to glorify 
our Father which is in heaven. We mentioned some of 
the qualifications necessary to a successful life-boat, that 
enabled it to go in stormy seas and dangerous places that 
would overwhelm an ordinary boat. These qualifications 
are as needful to us in our life-saving service — buoyancy, 
stability, strength and speed. 

First, buoyancy, the power to keep from sinking, meet 
the storm, rise above the billows, overcome the foaming 
wave, upright and strong. Paul says that we " for refuge 
lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have 
as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast. " Also : 
"At that time ye were without Christ, having no hope " 
(Col. i. 27). " To whom God would make known the 
riches of his glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, 
which is Christ in you the hope of glory " (Col. i. 27). 

" My hope is built on nothing less 
Than J esus' blood and righteousness ; 
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand ; 
All other ground is sinking sand/' 

We are given everlasting consolation and good hope 
through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and God our 
Father. Take from the Christian this consolation, this 
hope of continued blessings here, of the resurrection in 
Christ hereafter, of eternal life, of reunions in time to 
come, and you take away all the joy, all the buoyancy 
from the Christian life. But they who are without Christ 
and without God in the world are without this everlasting 
consolation. . Out of one and a half billion of people in 
the world, only about one out of each three has heard of 
Christ, and only one-fourth of those who have heard can 
say they have this hope as an anchor to the soul. The 
promise for ages past has been, " In thy seed shall all the 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 141 

nations of the earth be blessed." The Lord has said it, 
and we may be assured that His word will run and be 
glorified, even unto the uttermost parts of the earth. It 
has made rapid progress in this age of missionary agita- 
tion. Dr. Pierson says: "Events are moving at such a 
pace that only active Christians can keep up with them. 
In the apostolic age the new faith ran on swift foot to the 
limits of the Roman Empire ; in the medieval age the 
rays of gospel light touched here and there a rude and 
barbarous people, fringing with silver edge the dark, 
black cloud of paganism ; but this is the epoch of world- 
wide missions. The march of the Lord is through the 
ages and around the world." But the Lord can not make 
this march alone. We are ambassadors for Christ ; we 
are workers together with God. God fully endows us for 
this life-saving service, then says: "Go ye; freely ye 
have received, freely give." Christ needs buoyant, hope- 
ful Christians as leaders in this service. There is no place 
for doubt nor discouragements. Christ, even in the dark- 
est hours, never doubted the success of His enterprise, 
the eternity of His kingdom. If He did His part toward 
the salvation of the world. He knew the Father would 
complete the plans. Doing the Lord's will may bring 
suffering and death to the body ; the world will not yet 
be saved without suffering. It will bring labor, self- 
denial and sacrifice, but abundant blessings come in re- 
turn. After all, what is sacrifice? When the life is fully 
given to Christ, what before was counted sacrifice now 
becomes a joy, a privilege, an opportunity, by which we 
rise to higher, purer things. Remember that hope in 
Christ is the anchor to the soul. We must not anchor to 
any individual nor to any organization, as Christ is the 
Saviour of the world. 

The next qualification mentioned is stability ; as ap- 
plied to the life-boat — resistance to overturning. We 
would that the Christian people to-day were so rooted and 
grounded in the faith that they would not be so easily 
tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of 
doctrine. Many Christians do not want to be delivered 
from the festivities and temptations of self-indulgence 



142 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

and the frivolities of this life. But the Christian who is 
serving the world to-day and the church to-morrow can 
not be used very effectually in the life-saving service. 
Paul says : " This one thing I do, forgetting those things 
which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things 
which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of 
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. . . . Let 
us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." 
The one-thing system is characteristic of the stable heart. 
The world may say : 

" Go take your money and buy rich robes, 

And horses and carriages fine, 
And pearls and jewels and dainty food, 

And rarest and costliest wine. 
My children, they dote on all such things, 

And if you their love would win, 
You must do as they do and walk in the way 

That they are walking in. 
Then the church held tightly the strings of lier purse, 

And gracefully lowered her head, 
And simpered, ' I've given too much away ; 

I'll do as you have said.' 
So the poDr man turned from her door in scorn, 

And she heard not the orphan's cry, 
And she drew her beautiful robes aside 

As the widow went weeping by. 
Her mission treasuries beggarly plead 

And Jesus' commands are in vain. 
While half the millions for whom He died 

Have never heard his name. 
And they of the church and they of the world 

Walked closely hand and heart, 
And only the Master, who knoweth all. 

Could tell the two apart." 

Are we willing to be called a peculiar people if need be 
that the world may be saved ? Do we make the saving 
and uplifting of souls the first object of our lives? We 
have many possessions. May we not hear the Lord's 
voice saying unto us, ' ' Lovest thou me more than these ? " ? 
It is said that one cent annually is given for each heathen 
to bring them to Christ. One-sixteenth of one cent in 
each dollar of the church's wealth is applied to Foreign 
Missions. Dr. Pierson says : "Ten millions of dollars is 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 143 

all the entire church of God caa raise to prosecute the 
missions of the world ; while one city spends far more 
than that for a city hall, and two others for a suspension 
bridge, and there is buried in jewelry, gold and silver 
plate and useless ornamentation, within Christian homes, 
enough to build a fleet of fity thousand vessels, ballast 
them with Bibles and crowd them with missionaries, build 
a church in every destitute hamlet, and supply every liv- 
ing soul with the living gospel in a score of years." 
When the church ceases to be anxious about the questions, 
" What shall we eat ? what shall we drink ? wherewithal 
shall we be clothed?" remembering that the heavenly 
Father knoweth that we have need of all these things, and 
seeks first the kingdom of God and the advancement of 
that kingdom, the world will not be long without the 
knowledge of the Lord. 

Strength, another qualification in the life-saving serv- 
ice, comes as a growth if we haveabouyant, hopeful spirit 
and are stable, rooted and grounded in the faith. The 
Lord said to Joshua : "Be strong and of a good courage ; — 
be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed ; tor the Lord thy 
God is with thee." Paul says : "My brethren, be strong 
in the Lord, and in the power of his might." Paul, in 
speaking of Abraham, said: "He staggered not at the 
promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in 
faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded 
that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. " 
The power or strength of the church is not so much in 
number as in individual strength and courage. Wesley 
said : " Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but God, 
hate nothing but sin, and determined to know nothing 
among men but Christ and Him crucified, and I will set 
the world on fire with them." Sir Charles Warren, for- 
merly a governor in a district in Africa, said : "For preser- 
vation of peace between colonist and native, one mission- 
ary is worth more than a whole battalion of soldiers." 
There is a power in the gospel of peace, and we may all be 
powerful if we will. We are sinning against ourselves 
and against God if. we do not make use of opportunities to 
develop our strength in faith, in courage, in power of do- 



144 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

ing good. What organization is dearest to us ? Is it a 
club, a reading circle, or the church with its various, de- 
partments of work ? What do we read ? Is it that litera- 
ture that brings a broader, holier conception of the Christ 
life, that leads us to see the world and humanity more as 
Christ saw it, and helps us more and more to give our all 
to be used in the life-saving service of the world ? 

What development do we most desire? What do we 
love best ? Christ said: "He that loveth me bhall be 
loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest 
myself unto him." The bright, nodding buttercup at the 
roadside saucily whispers, "If you love me, I will mani- 
fest myself unto you." The botanist stoops, plucks the 
dainty flower, lays aside the calyx of gold, looks into the 
very heart of the buttercup, and reads the story of its life. 
The smiling buttercup manifests itself even through mi- 
croscopic eye. And so with the many flowers of lawn and 
field ; the botanist loves the leaf and blossom, and they 
manifest themselves unto him. 

The old earth, groaning beneath its burden of wealth 
and rich treasure, says, "If you love me, I will manifest 
myself unto you. " The geologist delves into the moun- 
tain side, strains the ore from the running brook, brings 
forth its treasures from underneath, studies the clifl's, 
rocks and ledges, then, after these manifestations, he 
gives to the world the history of the earth's formation, 
the solidifying, the formation of the stratum after stratum, 
the deposit of forest trees, the formation of coal, mineral 
and oil — all because the geologist loves the earth, with 
all its treasures ; it manifests itself unto him. 

The glistening, sparkling stars, seemingly playing 
hide-and-go-seek amidst the feathery clouds of heaven, 
twinkling send down the message, "If you love me, I will 
manifest myself unto you. " The astronomer goes forth 
at night, and with telescopic vision reads the starry 
heavens. He spends the sleepless nights in view and 
computation, he crosses a continent, he goes beyond the 
ocean limit to change the angle of vision. He spends a 
life, a fortune, in studying the stars and planets, and they 
in turn manifest themselves, until, in place of the little 



SEEMONS AND ADDRESSES. 145 

twinkling stars, they become worlds and suns, moving 
and revolving in space beyond the comprehension of man, 
but under the guiding hand of an all-wise Creator. To 
the one who gives the listening ear to the Christ message, 
"If ye love me, I will manifest myself uuto you," he be- 
comes the Son of man, the Son of God, the Saviour of the 
world, our Elder Brother, an ever-present friend ; yea. 
He becomes more and more as the days go by, until the 
full realization that He is the Sun of righteousness, the 
Light of the world. To such He comes to abide, and their 
strength is never lacking in any time of need. 

Speed is certainly needed in this life-saving service. 
Every tick of your watch sounds the death- knell of a 
heathen soul. One million a month in China are dying 
without God. Shall we meet them over there ? Shall we 
wait and withhold the message until all our own wants 
are supplied, our church debts paid, our homes complete, 
our wardrobes replenished, or until some one comes to 
lead us in the work ? We know not the day nor the hour 
when our work shall cease ; we have no time to wait. 
During 1898 the life-boats of the Royal Life-boat Insti- 
tution rescued 682 lives, besides much valuable property. 
Since its organization in 1824 the society has saved 41,233 
lives. Three years ago our own organization reported 
that out of 4,445 persons endangered, but fifty- three were 
lost. The value of property saved amounted to more 
than five million dollars. The life-boat may have had 
buoyancy, stability and strength, yet without speed many 
of these must have perished. To-day is the day of salva- 
tion ; why do we ask one-half the world to wait even for 
generations and centuries ? Paul represents the Chris- 
tian life as a race. Can we expect the world speedily to 
be brought to Christ when we are sending but one mis- 
sionary for every 400,000 people in the foreign field, while 
we have a minister for every eight hundred people in the 
home land, with many Christian workers to assist him ? 
The call for men and women is fast being answered. Lib- 
eral gifts to support them and their work, are much in 
demand. When we, His disciples, cease to measure our 
gifts by what others do, by what some constitution re- 



146 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

quires, by what our assessment may be from some organ- 
ization, but give according as the Lord prospers us, 
the full measure that is due His work, the needs of mis- 
sion fields speedily will be supplied. While we have been 
making 3,000 converts to Christianity, the increase by 
birth rate into heathen religions has been 200,000,000. 
There are three times as many children born of heathen 
parents in China every year as there are souls born into 
the kingdom of God. There is indeed great need of 
speed in the Christian warfare. The words of a heathen 
woman were : "Tell your people how fast we are dying, 
and ask them if they can not send the gospel a little 
faster. ' ' 

" Send the gospel faster, swifter. 

Ye who dwell in Christian lands; 
Know ye not we're dying, dying, 

More in number than the sands? 
Heed ye not His words — your Master 

'Go ye forth to all the world ' ? 
Send the gospel faster, faster, 

Let its banner be unfurled. 

" Christian, can you sit in silence, 

While this cry fills all the air, 
Or content yourself with giving 

Merely what you well can spare? 
Will you make your God a beggar, 

When He asks but for His own? 
Will you dole Him from your treasure 

A poor pittance as a loan? " 

** Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh 
harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and 
look on the fields ; they are white already to harvest. " 

The Bible is our life-line which must be thrown out to 
the perishing. It is the power of God unto saltation to 
every one that believeth, but how shall they believe in him 
of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear with- 
out a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be 
sent ? After they are sent, there is much work to be done 
to render the Bible accessible to the people. The New 
Testament has been translated in whole or in part in over 
four hundred languages and dialects. It is said that there 
are at the present time over a thousand philologists busied 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 147 

with the Bible translatious and revisions ; and wherever 
the living missionary goes, he takes with him the living 
Word. Bible study is the popular study of to-day. When 
the Christian world fully understands the use of this life- 
line — when the time comes that they not only understand 
its use, but fully represent the Book in brotherly love, in 
unselfish care one for another, in patience and forbear- 
ance, in forgiveness and charity — the life-saving service 
will be complete and the world will not be long in coming 
to Christ. 

The Church of Christ is the lighthouse. Even so let 
your light shine before men, that they may see your good 
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

"Ye are the lights shining in darkness, 

To guide vessels, helpless and frail ; 
Do you see the shipwreck of your brothers? 

Do you hear their last sad, bitter wail? 
Is the glorious light of your brightness 

Trimmed and burning that others may see? 
Oh, throw out a strong, steady guide-light 

To the vessels a-wreck on the sea. 

"Your brothers are drifting in blindness, 

For want of your light, to their fate; 
Lend a hand, throw a gleam, to their rescue, 

Ere it be forever too late. 
O ye who in God's love are standing 

As firm as the rocks in the sea. 
How dare you stand idle and careless? 

Man the life-boats for wrecks in the sea. 

"Send the strong, steady gleam of your beacon, 

Far out o'er the storm-beaten w- ave ; 
Your mission is- noble and godli e. 

The lost ones to seek and to save. 
Their death-cries are constantly sounding 

All along life's wreck-strewn lee. 
Oh, send out the signal of danger 

To brothers adrift in the sea.' ' 

Bloomfield, la. 




Anna Robison Atwater, 
Macedonia Depot, O. 



148 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 149 



ANNA ROBISON AT WATER. 

Anna Robison Atwater was the fourth one of the five 
children of Decker D. and Harriet Young Robison. Born 
on a farm in Bedford, Cuyahoga Co., O., May 25, 1859. 
Her uncle, Dr. J. P. Robison, was a prominent preacher 
in the early work of the Disciples of Christ in Ohio. In 
her childhood five families of her mother's family filled 
as many pews regularly in the old Bedford Church. The 
children all came into the church before fourteen years of 
age. She made the confession at thirteen, during the pas- 
torate of Bro. Robert Moffett, in a meeting held by Will- 
iam Baxter. Her father died when she was but four 
years old, and her mother when she was twelve. The 
children had been brought up to believe that they must 
have an education. All had some college training ; four 
graduated at Hiram College. Anna graduated in 1882. 
The next six years she was principal of the high school 
at Bryan, O. For two years, which were intended for a^ 
vacation, she did substitute teaching in Mansfield, O., and 
some C. W. B. M. organizing, returning to Bryan at the 
end of that time for two more years as high school prin- 
cipal. June 30, 1892, she was married to J. M. Atwater. 
For five years she taught with him in Oskaloosa (la.) Col- 
lege, and for one year in the Central Christian College, 
Missouri. It was in this last work that Bro. Atwater's 
health failed, and both had to abandon the work. The 
winter of 1898-99 was spent in North Carolina. The fol- 
lowing spring they returned to Cleveland, O., for medical 
aid, but were disappointed in this, and here Bro. Atwater 
died, Jan. 17, 1900. Sister x\twater soon went to make 
her home with her sister, Mrs. Robinette, of Macedonia 
Depot, O., bringing back her church letter to the old Bed- 
ford Church. She was made president of the Ohio C. W. 
B. M. in 1901, and devotes much of her- time to that work. 
She hopes some time to return to her much-loved work 
of teaching. Sister Atwater has a large circle of friends 



150 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

wherever she has been, who remember her but to love 
her. She is an active Christian worker, and believes that 
God has no place for a lazy Christian. At home in the 
classroom, and equal to the occasion in C. W. B. M. work 
and in lecturing, as "The College G-irl " abundantly 
proves, makes her one of the useful women of the age. 

L. C. Wilson. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 151 



"THE COLLEGE GIRL.'' 

ANNA ROBISON ATWATER. 

Girls, 
Knowledge is no more a fountain sealed: 
Drink deep, until the habits of the slave, 
The sins of emptiness, gossip and spite 
And slander, die. Better not be ai all 
Than not be noble. 
Let her make herself her own 
To give or keep, to live and learn and be 
All that not harms distinctive womanhood. 

— Tennyson. 

To college girls, and to those who aspire to being col- 
lege girls, I extend most hearty congratulations. There 
is no class of people in the land with whom one might wish 
so much to be identified as with you. I congratulate 
you on your vast numbers to-day ; on your grand oppor- 
tunities ; on all the possibilities that lie within your 
reach ; on the noble enthusiasm that attends your work 
and on the hope which that work inspires. 

Yes, I congratulate you on your very existence as col- 
lege girls. Our ancestors of a century ago would have 
been shocked at a prophecy of your numbers to-day. 
They would have seen in their "mind's eye," with your 
coming, the neglected home — disorder reigning, the culi- 
nary department forsaken, the fires out, the cradle un- 
rocked. But we have you all, and the accompanying 
disasters have not followed. The awakening and training 
of the minds of women have not put to sleep their hearts. 
The daughter is just as filial and her sister instinct just as 
keen, the mother love is just as tender and cradle hymns 
are just as sweet, as in "the good old days. " Home is still 
"sweet home," "the golden milestone" from which each 
wanderer measures every distance, and toward which his 
eyes are ever turning, and woman still is the home light. 

From different ages and from different countries have 
come different ideas of true womanhood. The Chinese 



152 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

have believed that a part of it was to be found in the tiny 
crippled feet of their suffering girls and women. No doubt 
that now, as their girls are beginning to be liberated from 
that terrible bondage of foot-binding, the more conserva- 
tive are crying out against their "new woman " with her 
free and easy step. They foresee chaos to arrive out of 
such an innovation. We know that freedom from the tot- 
tering step is one thing to bring the Chinese woman to a 
better day. Let her walk out into a larger intelligence 
and larger service, despite the clamor against her advance- 
ment. 

Our ancestors never believed in cramping the feet of 
their daughters, but they did cramp and narrow their 
minds as if they believed the charm of womanhood was in 
their being " innocent of books " and business. The story- 
writers and poets sometimes talk that way still. Mary 
Livermore has told us that a little more than sixty years 
ago she, with five or six girls of aspirations like her own, 
visited the president of Harvard and asked the privilege 
of attending lectures in the college. He replied: "You 
don't want this sort of education. This is for boys. You 
would be a disgrace to your friends if you came here. 
What you need to learn is to make bread, and sew and 
keep house." Think of it ! This to a woman whose voice 
has been listened to eagerl}^ by millions of people far and 
wide in the great cause of temperance ! This to a woman 
whose trained hand and head and heart made her the 
means of raising millions of dollars for the relief of our 
suffering soldiers of the Eebellion, and led her like an an- 
gel into the hospitals and prisons among the wounded and 
dying ! 

At about the same time Lucy Stone plead with her 
father for a college education such as he was furnishing 
her brothers. He was astonished and said to his wife : 
"Is the child crazy?" To her he said: " Your mother 
only learned to read, write and cipher ; if that was enough 
for her, it should be enough for you." 

Such women as these, such women as Mary Lyon and 
Catherine Beecher, had the courage to make a way where 
they found none^to make a way, in the face of scorn, and 



SEI{}fOXS AXD ADDRESSES. ]53 

traditions fixed and sacred, for the higher education of 
women. Half a century later there were in the colleges 
forty thousand girls, and in the last decade their numbers 
have much increased. 

Oberlin suffered a short-lived disfavor and won an ever- 
lasting honor by being the first college to open its doors 
to the negro and to woman. Other schools soon followed, 
but the struggle for woman's mental advancement has 
been a severe one. and in it Whittier's words find one 
more verification : 

" Never on custom's oiled grooves 
The world to a higher level moves, 
But grades and grinds with friction hard 
On granite boulder and flinty shard." 

We do not belittle work done by faithful hands. It is 
good to make bread, especially if the bread is good. It is 
good to sew and wash and iron and sweep, but who shall 
take the responsibility of saying: "Thus far and no far- 
ther, here let thy noble ambitions be stayed"? Who 
would say to the young Gladstones and Tennysons and 
Bismarcks and Lowells: ''Go home and learn to saw 
wood, bu'ld fences, plant corn, care for horses and cattle ; 
this is man's work; you need no more " ? All this work 
is ennobling if done in the right spirit ; but the human 
mind seems to demand yet more. "Is not life more than 
meat, and the body than raiment ? " 

The old argument that we do not need higher educa- 
tion, because our grandmothers and great-grandmothers 
did not have it and yet were so noble, is folly. Queen 
Elizabeth was the first sovereign of England who enjoyed 
the use of a table fork. Our ancestors of three hundred 
years ago very likely never used such a convenience. Shall 
we argue against forks and eat with our fingers ? They 
tell us that the bird to-day builds no better nest than that 
which was built in the rafters of Noah's Ark, but by no 
analogy can it be proven that the woman of to-day should 
be a veritable Mrs. Xoah. It is human to make progress. 
Mrs. Xoah and our foremothers deserve our reverence, 
and merit a monument from us to their memories not be- 
cause their sphere was narrow, nor because 



154 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

" Knowledge to their eyes her ample page 
Rich with the spoi s of time did ne'er unroll; " 

but because of all they wrought in face of great difficul- 
ties. They did well if they lived up to their opportunities. 
We shall do well if we live up to the opportunities of our 
day and generation. 

The powers physical, mental and moral with which we 
are endowed are for us to develop, to set in order, to un- 
derstand, and to use. 

There is something exceedingly pathetic in contem- 
plating the wasted powers and possibilities in human 
lives. I think it is Mrs. Stowe who writes of "people of 
whom more might have been made. " How many must be 
classed in that group ! How many must say to the Mas- 
ter : " Here is thy talent in a napkin laid ! " 

The college education comes to our young people as the 
best means of teaching them something of the beauty and 
utility and interest there are in this great world and how 
to reach these things ; what are the unmeasured treasures 
in books and how to find them ; what are the vast powers 
in themselves and how to use them. Our best college 
students are those of whom more is being made day 
by day. 

We often hear it said that college education is not prac- 
tical^ especially for girls. Thos. G-radgrind, whom Dick- 
ens pictures for us, viewed everything from a bread-and- 
butter standpoint. Hard facts he wanted, not cultured 
imaginations and lofty intellects. With his rule and scales 
and muHiplication table he measured everything in life. 
Everything to him was a question of figures, a case of 
arithmetic. And too often by practical education is meant 
the Gradgrind view of it. 

I believe the influence most likely to dwarf the lives of 
our young people to-day is the measuring of everything 
by its money value. It is well always to ask "Will it 
pay ? " but it is contemptible to base the answer always 
on the returns in dollars and cents. All honor to the boy 
or girl who seeks a college education as a means of mak- 
ing a living. This is practical. Honor also to the one who 
seeks it for noble development. This, too, is practical. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 155 

Lowell well says of studies: "If they do not help us 
to get bread, they sweeten all the bread we ever do 
get." 

If the girl is to enter a profession or be a teacher, the 
need of higher education is apparent. If she is to be a 
cook or a clerk or a seamstress, will a college education 
pay ? If she have means to attain it, would that she 
might have it ; not chiefly for the sake of her bitsiness, but 
for the sake of her life; not that she may regulate her 
bread and doughnuts by her knowledge of specific gravity, 
or keep accounts by the aid of logarithms, or cut gar- 
ments by the laws of geometry, but that her life may 
be higher, happier, more helpful to others. This pays. 
What of the girl who is to be a home-maker ? By all 
means she should have as extended an education as possi- 
ble. She should understand the necessities and comforts 
of the home and be able to add to these an atmosphere of 
intelligence and interest in all the progress of the world, 
that there may be "high thinking" even if there is 
"plain living." The home is the center of unmeasured 
influence. Where can it be more fitting for knowledge 
and culture and refinement to exist than in the one who 
makes the home ? No one living can do more " to set life 
to a noble tune " than can the home-maker. 

Very close to this question of the practical in college 
education for girls lies another one. This is the question 
of health. It is much talked of just now. Our high 
school and college girls are represented with pale cheeks, 
hollow eyes, nervous prostration, all as a result of hard 
study. Parents are anxious, and many of them say that 
for their daughters they will have none of it. 

It is my serious judgment that in these schools we find 
the healthiest class of girls to be found anywhere. Ill 
health among them may generally be traced to late hours, 
lack of exercise, improper food or clothing, or to exces- 
sive social demands on strength. None of these things 
are essential to the college girl. Hard study is essential, 
but I believe it is as natural to the human mind as 
vigorous exercise is to the joints and muscles. It is 
the nervous strain of the pleasure-seeking craze or the 



166 TWENTIETH CENTVUY 

inanimation of the ease-loving tendency that I fear more 
as being disastrous to the health of our girls than the 
vigorous thought-stirring influence of close study, the 
classroom and the inspiring teacher. 

I heard a learned man address a group of rosy-cheeked 
girls and boys on graduation day. Among other things 
he said: ''Would you have learning, your clothes must 
bear the odor of the midnight oil and your brows the 
lines of thought and study." As for "the lines," they 
will take care of themselves. Better those than "the 
straightened forehead " of which Tennyson speaks. But 
that " midnight oil " is old-fashioned now. Don't use it, 
girls. It is out of date, not because displaced by gas and 
electricity, but good common sense has taught us all that 
night is the time for rest — Nature's time and ours. 

" For what so strong 
But wanting rest will also want of might? 
The sunne that measures heaven all day long 
All night doth baite his steeds the ocean waves among." 

Eest you must have, and suitable food and clothing, 
too, and physical exercise in the open air. Yes, study, 
while you study, with double attention so that you may 
have double the usual time in the sunshine. Love the 
meadows and the woods and the sky. Search and find 
those "tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, 
sermons in stones and good in everything." 

To be at your best in mind, you must be at your best 
in bodily strength, and, perhaps more than we under- 
stand, the healthful exercise of the mind helps to keep 
the body healthy. 

But what of the joys of the college girl ? Those who 
climbed to seek the waterfall at the top of the mountain 
found beauties and glories of which they had never heard 
before— broad meadows, green valleys, "the aster-blos- 
somed sod," "grand glimpses of great mountain brows," 
and " the sharp steel sheen " of mountain lakes. So you, 
in your eager pursuit for what you deem the highest, will 
find at every turn joys which you were not seeking, 
pleasures you had not thought of, wonders of which you 
never dreamed. And these have not only their present 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 157 

value, but they become a permanent possession, a delight 
for future days. 

Most people contemplate with satisfaction what they 
are laying up of material store for time of need. With 
no less satisfaction may you contemplate the resources 
which you are gathering. The pleasures of which "we 
have spoken are no small part of this store, the knowl- 
edge you gain is an important part, and what you are 
able to do with a trained and cultured mind perhaps 
counts more than either among your resources. 

I have somewhere seen a suggestive little picture. 
The sky is dark, the rain falling, and two little birds with 
wet feathers sit on the dripping branch of a tree. Below 
are written the words: "It's no use to go-a-seeking, 
there isn't any good time anywhere. " I see many people 
— and some of them are girls — who are like those birds. 
It rains, or sickness comes, or the entertainment fails, or 
outward circumstances are not agreeable ; and, having no 
resources in themselves, they are miserable. On their 
faces you may read: "There isn't any good time any- 
where." I pity them. But for you, who have laid up 
treasure, it is not so. You shall not need "to go a-seek- 
ing, " for you have wealth of entertainment in yourselves. 

But there is one thing which incomparably more than 
any other invests the culture of mind and heart with a 
sublime interest. That is its enduring character. We 
spend anxious thought on beautiful garments and rich 
dwellings, but, except as they react on the inner life, they 
are to perish. But the possessions of the mind are des- 
tined for the eternal ages. 




Miss Lura V. Thompson, 

National Organizer C. W. B. M., 
Cartilage, 111. 



SERMOXS AXD ADDRESSES. 159 



MISS LURA YIOLA THOMPSON. 

Miss Lura Viola Thompson, of Carthage, Hancock Co. , 
111., National Organizer of the Christian "Woman's Board 
of Missions, spent the first fifteen years of her life on a 
farm about eleven miles from her present home. Shortly 
after moving to Carthage, she entered the English Lu- 
theran College of that place, and at the end of five years 
received the degree of A. B. , and carried off the honors of 
her class. Each summer of her college life she taught a 
country school. The death of her mother shortly after 
her graduation left her the oldest in the motherless home, 
for which she has cared, at the same time teaching in the 
public schools in Carthage. Having been trained from 
infancy in a Christian home, she united with the Christian 
Church soon after her fourteenth birthday. She early be- 
gan, in a quiet way, to work for the church in its various 
departments, and also in the W. C. T. U. Gradually she 
was called out into more active service in holding many 
local, county and district offices, until the summer of 
1891, when she was called to be the State organizer of the 
Illinois C. W. B. M. ; and a little later was made State sec- 
retary also. This combined office she held until the fall 
of 1896, when she was called by the National Board to 
serve as General, or National, Organizer, which position 
she now holds. Miss Thompson has presented the work 
of the C. W. B. M. in a greater number of places than any 
other woman in our ranks. In the spring of 1890 the 
trustees of her alma mater conferred upon her the degree 
of A. M., stating that it was conferred because of what she 
had done for the church. A beautiful tribute to her w^ork, 
and coming as it did from a school of another fellowship 
than her own. it is doubly prized. Sister Thompson is a 
tireless worker in her much-loved field, and is doing most 
efficient work. She is the peer of any in our fellowship. 

L. C. W. 



160 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



HAVING FELLOWSHIP. 

MISS LURA V. THOMPSON, 
National Organizer of the C. W. B. M. 

Among the teachers in a certain Sunday-school is a 
dear white-haired old lady, to whom has been given the 
little boys from six to eight. For years she has had the 
boys of this age as they passed from the infant class to the 
grade beyond. Her influence is wonderful. Every child 
loves her dearly and is thoroughly devoted. Her plan is 
to let each little boy tell her the thing uppermost in his 
mind. She listens attentively until all have had a chance, 
and then says, " Now, boys, I have listened to you — I have 
something I want to tell you." And she then teaches the 
lesson most beautifully and thoroughly. Many a boy has 
lived to call Mrs. Clark blessed. 'Tis a treat to hear her 
tell of the work she so dearly loves ; and among the many 
interesting stories is the one about the little orphan 
Johnnie, a poor little fellow without a mother and worse 
than fatherless. Mrs. Clark had gathered him in, and was 
striving to be father, mother and teacher all in one. After 
a few Sundays, Johnnie arose at the close of the lesson, in 
all the majesty of a rugged little boy, and said, "Mrs. 
Clark, I ain't coming to Sunday-school any more. " "Why, 
Johnnie," asked Mrs. Clark, " why aren't you coming ?" 
*' Because," quickly answered Johnnie, " I'm tired of this 
everlasting talking about Jesus. I ain't comin' any more 
unless you change the subject." 

Now, my brother, my sister, are you appalled at the au- 
dacity of that little boy, knowing as you do that to take 
Jesus out of the Sunday-school would be to take every- 
thing ? Dj you not feel that he needs special care and 
special teaching, and does not your heart go out to this 
motherless little fellow in a sympathy that is akin to pity? 
And yet, my Christian friends, that little boy who wanted 
Jesus left out of the Sunday-school was no more incon- 
sistent than the hundreds of professed followers of Jesus 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 161 

Christ who say : "I am tired of this everlasting talking 
about missions." Many have I heard thus express them- 
selves. Many will say : "It is money, money, money, all 
the time, until I'm sick and tired of it. You can't go into 
a church nowadays without being begged for money in one 
way or another, and I'm tired of the whole thing." I've 
heard such expressions. Have not you ? And yet, my 
friends, when we leave missions out of the gospel— when 
we leave the "go " out of the great commission, what have 
we left ? As Jesus is to the Sunday-school, so is His " Go 
ye " to the church. His last, His most imperative charge 
was, " Go ye into all the world," and Jesus was not stand- 
ing upon American soil when he uttered these words. 
Some one has done what you and I please to call foreign 
missionary work, or we to-day would be without the gospel. 

Then, let us not only realize that the work of the church 
to-day is to spread the gospel everywhere, but let us re- 
joice that the work has cost a great deal, and that it will 
continue to cost much, very much, until the end of time ; 
for the religion that costs nothing is worth what it costs. 
Remember that it is the dead thing that costs nothing. 
When the tree in your yard dies, you do not water it any 
longer nor hoe about its roots nor prune its branches. It 
needs your care no longer — it is dead. The dear little, 
bright-eyed darling in your home, the very light of it, is 
taken from you, and you carefully, tenderly cover the little 
mound, and lovingly linger a little while ; and then you go 
away to take up the duties of life again — all alone. The 
little one will cost you nothing now. It is dead. 

Would you have your hope of eternity based upon a 
dead religion ? No, my friend, never. Then, let us re- 
joice and give thanks daily, yea, hourly, that the religion 
of the Lord Jesus Christ is alive ; that it is a living real- 
ity ; that it has cost what it has, and that to carry it, as 
Christ has commanded, to earth's perishing ones, will cost 
us much — very much — in every way, for we value those 
things most that cost us most. What think you it cost 
the heavenly Father to send His only begotten Son to an 
ungrateful world, and what think you it cost that Son to 
come ? Can you and I estimate the cost ? And yet He 



162 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

willingly paid the price for your happiness and mine, and 
all He asks of you and me is to faithfully represent Him 
before the world. And He does not send us out alone. 
He says : '' Go, and I'll go with you. " 

Every consecrated Christian is a missionary, and every 
man's missionary work begins just where he is with what 
he has in his hand. But it does not stop there. Every 
man can do something, and the more you and I do to save 
others — to bring joy to the heart-hungry — the more 
abundant will be our entrance into the presence of Him 
" whose we are and whom we serve. " "Give, and it shall 
be given unto you, " are the words of our Master. 

Unselfish service will not go unrewarded, for remem- 
ber what He said about giving the cup of cold water in 
His name, and how He said : " Inasmuch as ye have done 
it unto one of the least of these, ye have done it unto 
me." All oyer the world are the heart-hungry and dis- 
couraged, the tempted and the tried. You and I can say 
the kind word and lend the helping hand, can point to 
the one supreme Friend "who was tempted in all points 
like £.3 we." And you and I can go farther than just 
where we are. For if we can not personally go out into 
the highways and byways, and bring guests to the gospel 
feast, we can send a substitute, and if not able, alone, to 
send one, we can join, with our brothers and sisters in 
Christ, in a beautiful united and helpful service, thus 
sending out not only one, but thousands. 

Jesus clearly teaches that we should have fellowship in 
His work. We are told not to forget the assembling of 
ourselves together, and, again, to have fellowship "in 
brotherly love, in honour preferring one another." Iso- 
lation means spiritual degeneracy and decay, but how 
poorly we understand this, and how very inconsistent we 
are. If we went to visit the old home, or went into an- 
other community where lived our brothers and sisters in 
the flesh, would we stay around outside until some one came 
out and invited us in ? Yet, friends, many Christians go 
from one community to another, and wait to be hunted 
up and called on, and urged to have fellowship. And 
some refuse even then to acknowledge to the community 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 16a 

their kinship in Christ. Is this representing Christ be- 
fore the world ? And then, again, some, after taking 
their stand with the people of God, refuse to have further 
fellowship. I know of one woman, a member of a certain 
congregation, who, though rich and all alone in the 
world, refuses to pay anything to the church in any way 
whatever — not even to the local work. Her pastor kindly 
asked her to help in the expense of repairing the church 
building, sadly in need of repair. She gave him to un- 
derstand that her money was her own, and that the 
church would get none of it — that she was tired of this 
everlasting talking about money. As the pastor left her 
elegantly appointed home, he simply said : "All right, 
sister, do as you think best about giving any money, but 
after this, when you come to meetings, please bring your 
own candle and an armful of wood, and don't sponge off 
the brethren any longer." A just reprimand for one so 
able, yet refusing to have fellowship. Remember the 
apostle Paul teaches by inspiration that he would not 
have some burdened and others eased. 

The Lord does not expect impossibilities, but He does 
expect us to do our best. You wouldn't be so inconsistent 
as the woman above mentioned, and yet, my friend, there 
are many earnest workers for the local congregation who, 
when asked to give for the spread of the gospel through- 
out the whole world, will say, "We have all we can do 
at home " (meaning in that locality) ; "Charity begins at 
home," or "Our church here needs all the money we can 
raise." Such expressions we often hear, and yet these 
same people go on day after day spending money on 
worldly things, without even giving the work of the local 
church one thought while making these expenditures. 

When asking the sisters of many a congregation to 
enter into the sweet and helpful fellowship of the woman's 
missionary society — out of which we get the social inter- 
course of the lodge, the intellectual training of the literary 
club, and the spiritual training which neither the lodge 
nor the club can give, and where our contributions are 
used wholly for unselfish purposes and for work entirely 
for others and in the Master's name, and not for our- 



164 TWENTIETH CENTUR Y 

selves — one often gets such replies as these, " Our church 
is so poor that we need everything we can raise ; " or, "I 
am thoroughly interested in missions, but I think it would 
be ridiculous to organize a missionary society and send 
money away, when our church is so poor." Have you 
ever heard such remarks ? I have until I have longed for 
wings to fly away. 

It is wonderful how concerned some people do get over 
the work of the local church when asked to join a mission- 
ary society, and yet some of these same people will be- 
long to from one to five or six organizations outside of the 
church, and never once hesitate about joining one of them 
because " our church is so poor." One of my acquaint- 
ances, a lovely woman, is a member of five societies out- 
side of the church, and into these she pays over ten dollars 
a year in dues alone. She refused to join the missionary 
society because, as she said, " our little church is so poor, 
and needs all the money we can raise. " Think of her incon- 
sistency. She drew the line at the missionary society, 
but acknowledged to me, when I pressed the question, 
that, when going into any one of the other societies — 
the three lodges and two clubs — she hai never once hesi- 
tated because her church was so poor; in fact, hadn't 
thought of the church and her obligations to it. Now, I 
am not saying anything against clubs and lodges, not a 
word, but I am saying that a woman is very inconsistent 
who refuses to join the missionary society because of the 
poverty of the local congregation, and then goes into 
other organizations outside of the church without a 
thought of its needs. This friend was not alone. Thou- 
sands of women argue just as she did. Had I a penny 
even for every time I have heard that excuse (it is not a 
reason) in the last ten years and more, I would have a 
considerable sum for missions. 

How much we all need to learn how inconsistent we 
are. Another sister, at a certain mission point of the 
Christian Woman's Board of Missions, decided to take her 
name off of the Auxiliary roll because she thought it 
ridiculous to be sending money to the heathen when her 
congregation was having such a struggle. But she was 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 165 

reminded that her State was receiving every year from 
the national treasury of the Christian Woman's Board of 
Missions more than three times as much as her whole 
State paid into it, and that the work at her place was 
started and carried on for some time by a man supported 
out of that treasury. Coming to understand the matter, 
she remained in the Auxiliary. 

Many are inconsistent because they do not understand. 
They do not realize that, to be acceptable followers of 
the Christ, we must bring to Him our first love and our 
best service, and then all other things will be added unto 
us ; that the money expended for missions never impover- 
ishes the individual or the congregation. The reflex in- 
fluence of missions can not be overestimated. 

I have long loved to think of the work of the Woman's 
Missionary Society as woman's special thank-offering to 
Christ for all that His coming into the world has done for 
her emancipation and elevation. Through this "inner 
circle" of fellowship, vv^oman is brought nearer to the 
Christ, is broadened and strengthened for the duties of 
life, and in the words of a dear sister, "is made a better 
woman wherever God has placed her, a better wife or 
mother or sister or daughter. " And then these beautiful 
"might " offerings, given month after month, think how 
they bring joy to the broken-hearted, and protection to 
earth's neglected little ones all the world over, and how 
very rich will be the heritage of those who have entered 
into this blessed fellowship. 

Can you and I realize the joy that will come to us as 
we hear the Master lovingly say, " Inasmuch as ye did it 
unto one of the least of these, ye did it unto me " ? 'Tis 
then we shall be made to know that through this loving, 
blessed fellowship, in the earth life, we have been able to 
help even just a little. 

It isn't the amount we have done that will count in the 
end, but how well we have wrought with what we had. 
Thousands who have never done anything the world calls 
great, will, because of the fullness with which they "en- 
tered into fellowship," receive the plaudit, "Well done." 
"He that loses his life for my sake shall find it," our 



166 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Saviour says, and many are the noble lives lived in ob- 
scurity that the world may know the Christ. See the faith- 
ful, quiet mother as she sends her loved son or daughter 
into the field. See the missionary in the far-away, be- 
nighted land, and the equally faithful one who does the 
pioneering in our own country. Jesus takes account of 
all. He counts every weary step and every heartache 
and every sacrifice — even the cup of cold water given in 
His name. 

Thousands are brought to know the Christ every year 
because of the beautiful fellowship of those w^hose lives 
are "hid with Christ in God" — of those who are will- 
ing to spend and be spent in His dear name, " that others 
may hiow and that others may go/' God grant that we 
may each have more of the Christ fellowship in our homes, 
in our social and business relationships, in our local 
church work, and in the spread of the gospel throughout 
the world. This we ask in His dear name. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 167 



ZELLA DRUCILLA HUFFMAN. 

The subject of this sketch, daughter of Wm. S. and 
Zerrilla J. Huffman, was born in Morning Sun, la., Jan. 
15, 1879. Her grandfather on her mother's side, Josiah Ver- 
trees, was a relative of the Thomas Hodgens family, which 
was prominent in the beginning of this Restoration move- 
ment, and spoken of in Richardson's "Memoirs of Alex- 
ander Campbell, " also in the life of Abraham Lincoln. She 
received a fair education in the public schools of Morning 
Sun, and Oskaloosa, la. Also attended Oskaloosa College 
for a time, receiving instruction from the lamented Prest. 
J. M. Atwater. In the spring of 1897 the wheel of fortune 
cast her lot in Arkansas, where she taught one term of 
" Deestrict Schule, " teaching the young Southern idea 
how to " shute. " She thinks it; is possible that a future 
President is now in that " deestrict." She feels sure that 
the coming woman received valuable information in that 
school. Sister Huffman, while yet quite young, obeyed 
the gospel, being immersed by Bro. Reed, at Brighton, la. 
In the preparation of material for this work she has been 
my faithful amanuensis, proofreader and correspondent. 
Her labors have very materially lightened my burdens and 
hastened the work. Her present home is Elwood, Ind. 




Miss Zella D. Huffman, 

Elwood, Ind. 



168 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 169 



THE ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING DAY. 

ZELLA D. HUFFMAN. 

Thanksgiving is a holiday in the United States which 
is celebrated by union services of the Protestant churches 
once every year, for the purpose of returning thanks to 
God for the blessings of the past jear. Without regard 
to religion, in the homes of some people it is made a day 
of mirth and feasting, and families that have long been 
parted, are reunited again. The motive power which 
drove the English Separatists and Puritans to a voluntary 
exile in New England, in 1620, had its origin in the brain 
of the son of a Saxon slate-cutter, a century before. 
Martin Luther first protested against the persecutions. 
No one previous to him had the courage or the energy to 
brave such an undertaking as to oppose the bigotry and 
intolerance of the state religion. Once on foot, this work 
ran like wild fire, and produced wonderful and far-reach- 
ing results. The beginning of this new thought was the 
cause of the exodus of the Pilgrim Fathers from Holland 
to what was then known as New England. 

The origin of Thanksgiving Day is due to the early 
settlers of New England. In 1607, when America was 
first being settled by the English, no people in any part 
of Europe could worship in the way they chose, but the 
law of England required them to attend the Protestant 
Episcopal Church, which was the national church, and to 
also pay taxes for the support of that church. There 
were three classes of good people, the Catholics, the Puri- 
tans and the Separatists, who opposed that law. The 
Catholics did not think it was right for them to be com- 
pelled to help support and maintain a creed that they did 
not accept, and for this reason they objected to the law. 
The Puritans believed in the doctrine of the English 
Church, but did not believe in some of the ceremonies. 
They called themselves Puritans because they wanted to 
purifj^ some of the ceremonies of the church. The Sep- 



170 TWENTIEl H CENTUR Y 

aratists, like the Puritans, believed in the doctrine of the 
national church, but did not believe in some of the cere- 
monies, and decided to separate from that church and set 
up congregations of their own. 

Those who wanted religious liberty, because liberty in 
that respect could not be had in England, decided to come 
to America, where they hoped they could worship God in 
the way they chose without being molested. In 1620 a 
part of the Separatists, or Pilgrims as they called them- 
selves, since they had no real home, started for America. 
The only English settlement in America at that time was 
at Jamestown, Va. The Pilgrims could not go there, be- 
cause the only worship allowed there was that of the Eng- 
lish Church ; so they decided to find a place close to the 
Hudson River to make a settlement. They had to first 
get the consent of the king of England. He at first would 
not openly consent, but finally said he would " wink at 
their departure for America. " 

There were 102 emigrants that left England in the 
" Mayflower " in 1620, but less than ninety of these were 
Pilgrims. Among the rest was Myles Standish, who was 
as brave as a lion in battle, and as gentle as a woman 
in sickness. It is doubtful whether the colo.y would have 
succeeded without him. On November 21, the "May- 
flower " anchored at what is now known as Provincetown 
Harbor, at the extreme end of Cape Cod. The first Gov- 
ernor they elected was John Carver. In little more than 
a month after they reached Cape Cod, the " Mayflower " 
entered the harbor which Capt. John Smith called Ply- 
mouth. The men all went on shore amid a storm of snow 
and sleet, and began building a log hut for the general 
use. The colonies progressed very slowly. The hard- 
ships were so great during that winter that by spring 
about half of them were in their graves. The Governor 
died that winter, and Wm. Bradford was elected to fill his 
place. Though so many lives had been lost during that 
winter, when the "Mayflower " returned to England not 
one of the Pilgrims returned in her. They had come to 
stay no matter what happened. They could worship in 
the way they wanted to. After the Pilgrims had gathered 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 171 

their first harvest, the Go.vernor issued a proclamation to 
observe a day for public thanksgiving. It was then that 
the first Thanksgiving Day was observed. If the Puri- 
tans could be thankful for so little, how much more should 
we be thankful for the many things which we enjoy. 

It was customary at first for the G-overnors of States 
to issue Thanksgiving proclamations, and in 1859, thirty 
of the thirty-three States observed the day. In 1863 
Abraham Lincoln issued the first National Thanksgiving 
Proclamation. It has grown to be a national custom and 
a national holiday. 




C. C. Smith, 

Corresponding Secretary of Negro Education and Evangelization, 
under auspices of C. W. B. M., 

Cincinnati, O. 



273 



SERMON;S AND ADDRESSES, 176 



C. C. SMITH. 

C. C. Smith was born near Warren, Trumbull Co., O., 
May 5, 1845. He was educated at Hiram, O. In the 
spring of 1864 he enlisted in the United States army. 
Mr. Smith commenced to preach in 1866, and was em- 
ployed for a few months at Payne's Corners, Niles and 
Girard, O. He was then pastor of the church at Hub- 
bard, O., for three years, after which he was called to 
Younorstown, O., where he labored seven years. He then 
went to Akron, O., where he labored with the High Street 
Church for eight years. In 1884 he was elected corre- 
sponding secretary of the Ohio Christian Missionary 
Society. The state of his health led him to immediately 
decline this proffered work. His next charge was at Mil- 
waukee, Wis., where he labored for two years, leaving 
this work to go to Southern California in the capacity of 
evangelist. After a year in this work he took charge of the 
church at Massillon, O. At the National Convention of 
1891 he was chosen corresponding secretary of the Board 
of Negro Education and Evangelization, and entered upon 
this work Jan. 1, 1892, remaining in it until the present 
time. Under the wise management of Bro. Smith, this 
work has made wonderful progress. The good accom- 
plished can not be told on paper, and eternity alone will 
reveal the magnitude of this work. God will bless the 
man who stoops to lift up the downtrodden. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 177 



THE NEGRO OF THE SOUTH — HIS CONDITION 
AND NEED. 

C. C. SMITH. 

At the close of the Civil War an unparalleled social 
and industrial condition obtained in the South. About 
six millions of negroes who had been held in slavery had 
suddenly been made free. There had been no preparation 
for this. The former master and the freedman alike were 
unprepared for the changed condition. Reconstruction 
presents a unique history. 

Nearly all attempts on the part of the Southerner to 
employ his former slaves and run the plantations as be- 
fore were failures. Partly, no doubt, because the white 
man did not know how to adjust himself to the new con- 
ditions, and partly because the freedman did not know 
how to use his freedom. At least, the great plantations 
in the cotton belt could not be, or were not, run success- 
fully by this method. The renting of small plots of land, 
say forty or fifty acres, to a negro family was then gen- 
erally adopted, and with better success. But this made 
the negro entirely his own master, and he was ignorant, 
improvident, childish, and hence the white man was com- 
pelled to use, what seemed to be, hard conditions in his 
contracts with the negro. These were his only means of 
control. He must compel the negro to raise a certain 
amount of cotton on which he held a mortgage. The 
negro could not eat, feed nor steal the cotton, and must 
get it ginned at the public gin where it came under the 
landlord's control. But the negro had to live until his 
crop was raised, and no man would furnish him supplies 
unless he gave a mortgage on the product of his toil. 
The double mortgages interfered with each other, and it 
finally developed that the only way out of this difficulty 
was for the white man, who rented the land, to keep a 
supply station also. This could not be done by each 
plantation owner, so one man would rent or buy several 



17 8 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

plantations, create a supply station, and sub-rent to 
negroes. This has resulted in contractors getting control 
of large tracts of land, in the former owners of planta- 
tations selling out, and moving to the towns and villages. 
This partly for the purpose of making a living, and partly 
for the purpose of educating their children, but most of 
all to escape the environment caused by these conditions. 

These white men were the best friends the negroes 
had. The one mitigating circumstance of slavery was 
that it brought these wild men of Africa into close rela- 
tions to cultivated white men. Perhaps in no other way 
could a race have been advanced further, in the same 
length of time, on the road of civilization. But, by de- 
grees, these civilizing influences have gone from the 
negro. Out of great sections the former landowners have 
gone, and they are left to a multitude of negroes con- 
trolled only by the few white men who now own or con- 
trol the land and their outriders, who enforce the con- 
tracts. 

This is the condition in the greater part of the Black 
Belt, nor is it exceptional for one man to control a county, 
in this way, and have depending on him hundreds, if 
not thousands, of negroes. The fact to which we call 
attention is that the civilizing influence of the white man 
has gone out of the colored man's life. It would not be 
wise to undertake to here depict the ignorance, the pov- 
erty or the degradation found in certain sections of the 
South. If man's claim on the help of Christians is ac- 
cording to his need, then these have a mighty claim. 

The majority of the former slaveowners were kind to 
and fond of their slaves, but were fond of them as inferior 
beings, and had little faith in their intellectual develop- 
ment. They, however, threw nothing in the way of their 
being educated. And at the close of the war a division 
of school funds was appropriated for this purpose. But, 
at this time, the school funds, on account of the deprecia- 
tion of values of taxable property, were entirely inade- 
quate to the demands for general education, even had the 
l^-opulation been of one race, but especially so when the 
funds were divided, and separate buildings and equip- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 179 

ment and instructors had to be supplied. But the chief 
difficulty in giving instruction to the negro was found in 
the fact that no white man or woman would or could 
teach in the isolated country districts, so the ignorant 
black man or woman must teach the more ignorant black 
child. It has been the blind leading the blind from that 
day to this. Into conditions like these have come the 
great industrial schools built by Christian philanthropy. 
They have been of untold blessing to both races in the 
South. 

The negro's great need is protection and training for 
his life-work. The first should be given by law ; the sec. 
ond can only come through Christian education. It has 
been said that ''the three R's " and the little white 
schoolhouse have produced American civilization. A 
present-day educator says that the three H's — the head, 
the hand and the heart — are to supplant them in the 
training of the youth. The three R's are sufficient now 
for the negro's head, but skill in some useful occupation 
is needed for his hand, and the morals of the Bible (the 
only safe text-book on ethics) for his heart. The man who 
possesses these is welcome in any community. The first 
gives him intelligence, with all its attendant blessings. 
The second gives him usefulness, with all its attendant 
strength. The last gives him unselfishness, with all its 
attending nobility of purpose. The Christian industrial 
school supplies all of the above — a mental, a manual, and a 
moral and spiritual training. In these schools the theory 
and the practice go hand in hand. It seems as if this 
kind of training would produce a strong, useful and un- 
selfish character — and it does. General Armstrong's 
charity was well seasoned with wisdom when he founded 
Hampton Institute. The product is Booker T. Washing- 
ton and his like ; and the Tuskegee Institute and its like. 
The negroes trained by these men in these institutions 
are the hope of the negro of the Southland and the 
nation. These are respected and honored everywhere. 
On the other hand, the negro who was given college and 
university education by somebody's supposed charity, and 
was pampered and petted, and his head crammed too full, 



180 



TWENTIETH CENTURY 







i'RONT OF Bible School Builoing, 
Louisville, Ky. 

with his acquired scorn of honest toil and his borrowed 
ideas of social rights, has become a bump on the log — very 
manifest, but very useless. No labor degrades excepting 
labor unskillfully or grudgingly performed. 

In harmony with this policy, in its work among the 
negroes of the South, the Christian Church has been ena- 
bled to produce the following results : 1. We have estab- 
lished four schools. The Southern Christian Institute, at 
Edwards, Miss. ; the Louisville Bible School, at Louisville, 
Ky.; the Lum Graded School, at Lum, Ala., and a school at 
Martinsville, Va. 2. We already have a small army of 
trained workers who are laboring with their hands, earning 
an honest living, and at the same time preaching the gospel, 
building up churches and schools and homes, and becom- 
ing recognized leaders of the race. 3. We have property 
valued at more than our entire cash expenditure in the 
work. While training their hands to skill, we have made 
them ministers unto themselves by building their own 
schoolhouses, homes and churches. 4. We have gained 
the good will and hearty co-operation of the best white 
people in the communities where our schools are located. 
They believe in this kind of training for the negroes. 5. 
Not one of all the preachers we have trained for work in 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 181 

the United States has ever asked help from the Board. 
In these schools self-reliance has been placed next in im- 
portance to love of truth. First, character; second, inde- 
pendence of character. 6. We have yet to hear of one 
whom we have fully trained going back to a life of shame 
or dishonesty. One of our scholars, by working over- 
time, has paid back al^ the money advanced him for his 
schooling, and bought a home for his father and mother, 
and one for his wife's father and mother, that they too 
might be, for the first time, free indeed. Another has 
bought forty acres of land and paid for it, and upon this, 
with his own hands, has built a comfortable house and 
surrounded it with all the accessories of a civilized home. 
Yet, at the same time, he has preached the gospel. His 
preaching for that people is far more potent than that of 
the most finished scholar and gifted orator who despises 
toil. It is the gospel of purity and self-help. The great- 
est scholar is not the one who knows the most truth, but 
the one who knows some truth well, and knows how to 
apply that truth in the work God has given him to do. 
Another has maintained himself by working faithfully 
and skillfully with his trowel, six days in the week, yet 
has built up a flourishing church to which he most faith- 
fully ministers. These are the leaders we are training for 
this people. Their horny hands of toil placed on the Book 
which tells of the Carpenter's Son has a deep significance. 
Of course, this kind of training is not recommended for 
white preachers — just for negroes — yet it was good for our 
fathers. These know not the classics nor higher criticism, 
yet they "know the truth, and the truth shall make them 
free. ' ' 

Having given a brief account of conditions which exist 
in certain sections of the South, and, in modified forms, 
nearly all over the South, and having spoken of the kind 
of work needed for the negroes, and having briefly out- 
lined the work which we, as a church, have done in this 
field, I will now give a detailed account of the methods 
pursued in one of our institutions. 

The Southern Christian Institute, located at Edwards, 
Miss., has been in charge of J. B. Lehman and his wife, 




J. B. Lehman, 

President Southern Christian Institute, 
Edwards, Miss. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. ' 183 

Ethie B. Lehman, for over twelve years. The present 
system of training has been a natural growth out of years 
of experience in the conditions surrounding them. The 
corps of teachers has been carefully selected. They are 
all true missionaries, and are working unselfishly for the 
true elevation of a race. 

The plantation on which the school is located contains 
eight hundred acres of land, and this land, together with 
the buildings and personal property, is valued at $50,000. 
The land is unusually productive for that part of the 
South. Only four hundred acres are now in cultivation 
The rest is covered with primitive forest and canebrake. 
Some of the trees must have been large when Columbus 
discovered America. Oaks are now standing on the plan- 
tation which measure twenty-one feet in circumference. 
These forests contain an almost inexhaustible supply of 
wood and lumber — for the use of the institution. The 
campus is one of the most beautiful spots to be found in 
Mississippi. It is rolling and tree crowned, and com- 
mands an extensive view down the valley of the "Big 
Black." 

Here are in training, for their life-work, from one hun- 
dred to one hundred and fifty students, yearly. This is 
the method of training : A young negro, destitute and 
ignorant, applies for an education. He is asked whether 
he has money to pay for same. He answers, " No." He 
is then asked if he is willing to work for an ( ducation, 
and answers, "Yes." He is then taken to a clean room 
(properly furnished), and taught how to take care of it. 
He is then made clean, personally, and given a strong, 
clean suit of working-clothes, and also a suit for better 
wear. He is then allowed to choose which of the indus- 
trial classes he will enter. The industrial classes for the 
boys are : Farming, gardening, carpentry, factory, wood- 
work, printing, broom-making. Say our student enters 
the carpentry* class ! The first year he gives his entire 
time to the industry, not entering the classroom. He is 
charged a certain amount for board and supplies and cred- 
ited a certain amount for work, and the surplus credit at 
the end of the year entitles him_ to tuition, board and 




Ethie B. Lehman, 

Teac-ier of Languages at the Southei*n Christian Institute. 
Edwards, Miss. 



1S4 



$EnMO]StS ANJb ADDRESSm. 185 

clothes for the next year, when he enters the classroom 
proper. Though our student does not enter the class- 
room the first year, yet he is being educated. The first 
hour of each school day he is taught a lesson from the 
Bible. Every Wednesday night he meets the young men 
in prayer-meeting, which is led by one of their own num- 
ber. Saturday night he has the privileges of the Y. M. 
C. A. meeting, at the close of which, usually, a brief, 
practical talk is given by one of the professors. Sunday 
morning he attends church and Bible-class at Edwards. 
Sunday night he meets with the students in Christian 
Endeavor meeting, at the close of which a brief address 
is given. Then during the entire year he is under the in. 
struction of the superintendent of his department, and 
continually in the atmosphere created by the school. He 
learns, even while yet a laborer, to be mannerly at the 
table, and to take pride in being neat and clean, and in 
keeping his room orderly. The change wrought in this 
student during this first year is wonderful, and is as man- 
ifest physically as it is mentally and morally. He no 
longer has the bearing of a serf, but more the appearance 
of a self-respecting man. He has been taught the dignity 
of labor, and realizes that he is, with his own hands, hon- 
estly earning all he receives. 

In his class work for the first year, in carpentry, he is 
instructed in the nature and uses of the varieties of timber 
found growing on the plantation ; in woodcraft ; in the 
best methods of piling lumber to season properly. He is 
taught how to lay out and frame a building. He is shown 
the uses and proper handling of tools, and is educated in 
all that pertains to construction. He is taken to the shop 
and taught how to adjust and run the machinery to work 
out flooring, ceiling, etc. Toward the end of the year he is 
given lessons in cabinet-making and the finer wood-work. 

The second year he enters the schoolroom proper, and 
now he labors with his hands one hour a day that he may 
keep in practice, and in touch with toil. This year his 
schoolwork is of the most elementary and practical kind. 
In this work the instructor meets with continual sur- 
prises. He is astonished at the dullness and brightness of 



186 



T WEN TIE TH CENT UR Y 




Mansion Hottse at Southern Christian Institute. 



the same student in the same recitation. He is usually 
very slow in acquiring the languages, but surprisingly 
quick in mastering mathematics. In language he has 
much to unlearn ; in mathematics he is but reducing to 
rule the principles learned in connection with last year's 
toil. 

The third year our student goes again into the indus- 
trial department. We will say that he now enters the 
class in agriculture. Here he will receive almost as varied 
training as in the other department. He will not only be 
taught the varieties of crops which can be most profitably 
raised in his section, but in the best methods of raising 
these and the best and cheapest methods of land feeding. 
Two of the great drawbacks to agriculture in the South 
have been the lack of variety in the crops raised, and that 
the method of raising has continually reduced the 
strength of the soil. He is also taught the proper care 
and protection of stock. This is exceedingly important. 
He is taught gardening and the value of garden products, 
and the best methods of raising sugar cane and making 
molasses, etc. He has now gained the dignity belonging 
to one of the older students. He is fast becoming an 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 187 

example for others. He enjoys his new dignity and re- 
sponsibility. 

The fourth year he is again a student in the classroom, 
and the fifth year he is usually so far advanced as to be 
able to take a place in some department of labor which 
combines the mental drill. Three of the most advanced 
students, at the Southern Christian Institute, now have 
charge of the printing department. Our student finishes 
his course in six years. 

There is not space for so detailed an account of a girl's 
training. It is, however, equally important in its bearing 
on the civilization of this people, and it is even more 
sought after, as this year seventy-five girls made applica- 
tion at the Southern Christian Institute who could not be 
received. 

The ignorance of the girl who is received into the culi- 
nary department is often amazing. It is a strain on the 
patience and endurance of the matron of this department. 
She must each year instruct a new class, but the prog- 
ress made in one year is quite wonderful. 

What is the outcome of this training ? The students 
thus trained are scattered throughout the South, follow- 
ing different avocations. They have been trained to live 
among and influence the lives of their own people. They 
are the "little leaven which is to leaven the whole lump. " 
The very purpose of the training is that, through one, 
many may be uplifted. 

Robert Brooks was trained at the Southern Christian 
Institute, and went back to live among his own people in 
Alabama, where the destitution and ignorance are as 
great as in any part of the South. He established what 
is now known as the Lum Graded School, and, because of 
this school, to that people living in darkness, a light has 
sprung up. Untold blessing has come to Lowndes Co., 
Ala., through the labors of one trained man. 

In estimating the influence going out from one of these 
educational centers, we are apt to dwell too much on the 
work of professional men, and not enough on the work of 
educated laborers who, though educated, are working, 
side by side, with their less favored fellows. Some of our 



188 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

students, at the close of their school course, have married 
and settled amon^ their own people. They start life just 
as poor, and must contend with the same difficulties and 
conditions as others. The only advantage they have over 
their neighbors is their training, yet they soon own their 
own homes and are freed from the curse of the mortgage. 
Their humble cabin is easily distinguished from others be- 
cause better built. A neat yard filled with flowers indicates 
a more refined taste. The well-tilled garden is an object- 
lesson in better living. The neatness, order and comfort 
in the house speak of the new home life. All the build- 
ings show greater thrift. These who have been trained, 
toil for the future as well as for the present. They loaf 
not between the raising of crops, but work all the year, 
which results in independence. Soon these become the 
leading citizens in their community. Their advice is 
sought ; their work is in demand. They are selected 
elders of the churches and teachers in the Sunday-schools. 
They become the pioneers of a new civilization for their peo- 
ple. It is not only that theh- lives have been made broader 
and stronger and happier, but that they are bringing all 
this to others. Soon, within the radius of their influence, 
better conditions are found. They are found toiling in 
the field, raising the cotton and corn, but to this toil a 
new dignity has come, and labor has been rescued from 
degradation. 

This is the secret of the fascination of this work for 
our instructors. Nearly all our teachers who have been 
compelled to leave the work, continue to regret the neces- 
sity which removed them from their service to this peo- 
ple. The teachers now at our Southern Christian Insti- 
tute are a happy band. The work is very hard, ofttimes 
very discouraging. There are many privations connected 
with it. Its charm is found, as is the charm of all mission 
work, in beholding the changed lives of thos ^ who come 
under their care. No greater joy can come to the true 
servant of Christ than to know he is helping his Master 
to lift some portion of fallen humanity to a higher plane 
of living. 



SER3WNS AND ADDRESSES. 189 



A Brief Sketch of the Work of the Church of Christ 

AMONG THE NeGROES OF THE SoUTH. 

As early as 1873, negotiations were entered into look- 
ing toward the establishment of a school for the education 
of negroes. This school was afterwards known as the 
Southern Christian Institute. In 1881 a school was opened 
at Hemingway, Miss., but was discontinued after a few 
months. In 1882 the present site of the Southern Chris- 
tian Institute, the eight hundred acres of land and the old 
"mansion house " known as the Cook plantation, near Ed- 
wards, Miss., was purchased. 

In 1873 a Bible-school for negroes was opened in Louis- 
ville, Ky., and was successfully conducted for four years. 

In 1884 a school for negroes was opened in Newcastle, 
Ky., and was continued until 1892. 

In the fall of 1890, the Board of Negro Education and 
Evangelization was organized. The Southern Christian 
Institute naturally came under its care. In 1892 the 
Louisville Bible School was established. In 1894 the Lum 
Graded School, at Lum, Ala., was opened, and in 1899 a 
school at Martinsville, Va., was opened. The Board of 
Negro Education and Evangelization directed and main- 
tained these schools, and conducted evangelistic work in 
many States until the fall of 1900, when this work was as- 
sumed by the Christian Woman's Board of Missions. 
Since this time this work has had the same sympathetic 
care and wise oversight which has characterized the Chris- 
tian Woman's Board of Missions in its dealings with all 
its missionary enterprises. 




Benjamin Lyon Smith, 

Corresponding Secretary A. C. M. S., 
Cincinnati, O. 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES 193 



CONTRIBUTIONS OF DIFFERENT MEN TO THE 

THOUGHT OF OUR MOVEMENT FOR 

CHRISTIAN UNION. 

BENJAMIN L. SMITH, 
Corresponding Secretary of the American Christian Missionary Society. 

As a river is made up of many smaller streams, so the 
current thought of the movement toward the restoration 
of the apostolic church has in it the contribution of many- 
different men. 

There was marked unrest in the religious world in the 
early part of the century, and many men in different parts 
of the country, unknown to each other, began to plead for 
the return of the church to the simplicity of the teachings 
of the New Testament, among these John O 'Kelly, of Vir- 
ginia, 1792, who attempted a reform in the Methodist 
Church, limiting the power of the bishops in the appoint- 
ment of preachers. He failed, and withdrew and organ- 
ized the "Republican Methodists," but later they adopted 
the name " Chiistian, " and the Bible alone as the rule of 
faith and practice. 

Abner Jones, Vermont, 1800, withdrew from the Bap- 
tist Church on account of creeds, and organized churches 
in New England that abandoned human creeds and human 
names, and stood for the name "Christian " and the word 
of God as alone sufficient in all matters of faith and prac- 
tice. 

Barton W. Stone, 1801, pleaded for the word of God as 
against human creeds, and for the name " Christian " as 
above human names for the followers of Jesus Christ our 
Lord. 

Thomas Campbell, 1809, pleaded for Christian union on 
the platform of a return to the word of God as the 
only rule of faith and practice ; a restoration of the 
apostolic church in her doctrines, her ordinances and her 
practice. 



194 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The church was divided ; the sectarian spirit ruled in 
the hearts of the folio vvers of the Man of Nazareth ; the 
mission of the church was not fulfilled ; men were passino" 
into eternity without the good hope of everlasting life 
through our Lord and Saviour. 

In 1831 the movement led Barton W. Stone, and that 
led by the Campbells, united, first at Georgetown, Ky., 
and Lexington, Ky., and afterwards throughout Kentucky 
and the South and West. 

If you are familiar with the Ohio River, you can tell 
for a distance of seventy-five miles below Pittsburg what 
part of the water came from the Monongahela River and 
what part from the Allegheny ; so a careful study of our 
current religious thought will show what difference men 
have given to it. All the water in the O.hio came from 
heaven, but it came through different channels ; so we be- 
lieve the characteristic teaching of our movement came 
from heaven, but through the minds of different men. 

From Thomas Campbell we got our plea and platform 
of Christian union ; under God he gave us the plea. "As 
the church is not divided by the word of God, but by what 
men have substituted for God's word and God's ordi- 
nances, so we will find the plan and platform of Christian 
union when we return to God's word only as the rule of 
faith and practice. " He originated that plea, and he should 
always have the distinguished honor of first making that 
plea in a practical way. Thomas Campbell gave us the 
motto : " When the Scriptures speak, we speak ; when the 
Scriptures are silent, we are silent." For this let him be 
honored. 

To Barton W. Stone we are indebted for three things 
that characterize our movement : First, the spirit of 
evangelization. The Campbellian movement was charac- 
terized by care to secure the return to the correct teach- 
ing of the New Testament. The Barton W. Stone move- 
ment was more characterized by an intense zeal to win 
men to the service of our Lord. In this repect Stone was 
the leader. Alexander Campbell was not characterized by 
evangelistic fervor ; like Paul, be could say, "I baptized 
but few. " He never held what we call a protracted meet-' 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 195 

ing. In 1831 the "Disciples," led by A. Campbell, num- 
bered but three thousand in Kentucky, while the "Chris- 
tians," led by Barton W. Stone, numbered about seven 
thousand. 

Barton W. Stone was full of evangelistic zeal ; he gave 
it to John Secrist and Joseph Gaston, who carried it, like 
a flaming torch, through eastern Ohio, and into the Ma- 
honing Association. Here they communicated their flam- 
ing zeal to Walter Scott, that prince of evangelists, and 
evermore it characterized our people, and may God grant 
it will never depart from us. 

We are also indebted to Barton W. Stone for the name 
"Christian" rather than the name "Disciple." Mr. 
Campbell preferred the name "Disciple" as of more 
humble appellation and of frequent use in the New Testa- 
ment ; but Barton W. Stone insisted on the name " Chris- 
tian." The views of Barton W. Stone prevailed, and gen- 
erally throughout the South and West we are known as 
the Christian Church. Only in a small district in the 
Western Reserve, Ohio, have we consented to the sec- 
tarian name "Disciple Church." The name "Christian " 
is the winning name, and we should let no man take our 
crown in this matter. 

We are indebted to Barton W. Stone for our freer com- 
munioQ. "As well," said he, "might we forbid unim- 
mersed persons to pray, to praise, to teach, as to forbid 
them to commune. " "What right have we for inviting 
or debarring any pious, holy believer from the Lord's 
table ? " Mr. Campbell held to stricter views, but the 
broader view of Barton W. Stone became the character- 
istic one of our brotherhood. 

We are indebted to Walter Scott for the clear state- 
ment of the place and design of baptism in the Christian 
economy. Mr. Campbell had hinted at it in his debate 
with Walker, but Walter Scott is the first man in modern 
times who clearly taught the place and design of baptism 
for the remission of sins. 

Walter Scott was selected as the evangelist of the Ma- 
honing Association in 1827, and made a new study of the 
gospel in order to present it aright to the people. His first 



196 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

meetiDg was held at New Lisbon, O., and here he pre- 
sented the gospel in the following order : First, faith ; 
second, repentance ; third, confession of faith ; fourth, bap- 
tism ; fifth, remission of sins ; sixth, the gift of the Holy 
Spirit. Walter Scott was the first man, in modern times, to 
preach the primitive gospel in that order, and Wm. 
Amend, of New Lisbon, O., was the first to accept these 
simple terms, and, on a confession of this faith in Christ, 
to be baptized for the remission of sins. 

We are also indebted to Walter Scott for the presenta- 
tion of the Messiahship of our Lord Jesus as the central 
doctrine of the Christian faith. The supreme authority 
of our Lord was set forth with splendid power by Walter 
Scott; his studies culminated in his volume, "The Mes- 
siahship of Jesus," which is most earnestly commended. 

We are indebted to Robert Richardson, the writer of 
the "Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, " for the more spir- 
itual tone of our teaching ; his "Communings in the Sanc- 
tuary " and his book on "The Holy Spirit " made a deep 
and abiding impression on the thought of our brother- 
hood. Robert Richardson has never received the recog- 
nition he deserved ; instead of having four pioneers, 
Thomas Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone 
and Walter Scott, we should have five great leaders, and 
Robert Richardson's name should always be mentioned 
with the other great leaders. A careful study of the 
Millennial Harhinger will show the place of leadership he 
occupied ; he was a more accurate scholar than Alexander 
Campbell, a deeper and clearer thinker than Thomas 
Campbell, Walter Scott or Barton W. Stone. His style 
was by far the finest of any of the editors of the Har- 
hinger, and his contribution to the thought of our move- 
ment, along Scriptural lines of thought and teaching, 
exceeded that of any other man. All honor to Dr. Robert 
Richardson. 

W. K. Pendleton was the lawyer of the movement. In 
early years he became co-editor of the Millennial Har- 
hinger, and to him were referred all questions about order. 
He was trained in the University of Virginia for the law, 
and when questions of methods came to the "Sage of 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 197 

Bethany," as A. Campbell was called, he constantly- 
referred them to W. K. Pendleton, and all articles telling 
the brethren how to proceed in the organization and work 
of the church, in the Millennial Harbinger, were written by 
W K. Pendleton. His name should be held in everlasting 
remembrance. 

David S. Burnet was our leader in the work of large 
organization of our work, culminating in our Missionary 
Society. He led our leaders in this matter ; in the Chris- 
tian Age he gave line and precept, teaching and exhortation 
until at last the first convention was called at Cincinnati, 
1849. Of his work he wrote just before his death: "I 
consider the inauguration of our society system, which I 
vowed to urge upon the brethren if God raised me from 
my protracted illness of 1845, as one of the most impor- 
tant acts of my career. " We are indebted to D. S. Burnet 
for our organized work more than to any other man. 

Alexander Campbell was the theologian of our move- 
ment ; he was a genius. His father, Thomas Campbell, 
was the talented man, and the genius soon led the talented 
man in the unfolding of the simple yet right method of 
Christian union by a return to the teaching and practice 
of the New Testament as alone-sufficient and all-sufficient 
rule of faith and practice. He took the truth as seen by 
others in a fragmentary way, and made it a whole ; into 
his great mind all truth came, and from it came forth in 
orderly sequence and power. 

As a preacher Alexander Campbell ranks first among 
our brethren ; above the average height ; singular dignity 
of form and feature, with simple, unaffected grace of 
manner ; with a clear, silvery voice that went to the edge 
of the largest assemblies, even in the open air. He was a 
perfect master of himself ; a perfect master of his theme ; 
and from the moment he stood in their presence, a perfect 
master of assemblies. His language was copious, his 
style nervous and vigorous ; there was no appeal to 
passion, no effort at pathos, no figures nor rhetorical 
flourishes, but a warm, kindly argument, silencing the 
will, captivating the judgment and satisfying the reason. 
His mind fathomed the deep things of Cod, and from 



198 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

God's word as a wise teacher he brought forth things new 
and old, to the delight of all who heard him ; as a preacher 
we can never forget the " Sage of Bethany." 

As a debater he won the gratitude of the Christian 
world by the battle royal which he fought for the cause of 
inspired Christianity, with the amiable and wrong-headed 
philanthropist and infidel, Robert Owen. He was the 
champion of Protestantism against the scarlet-robed 
woman in Rome, in his debate with Bishop (afterward 
Archbishop) Purcell ; and Pauline was he in pleading for 
the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free as he 
broke the bondage of human creeds and man-made tests of 
fellowship. Well does his monument carry the tribute, 
'* Defender of the faith once delivered to the saints." 

As a teacher he was our Gamaliel, at whose feet sat 
many a Paul. There they lighted the torch of their intel- 
lectual lives, and out from Bethany went the men who laid 
the foundations of our colleges ; he had great intellectual 
resources and great acquisitions ; he was a logician by 
instinct and a teacher who filled Garfield's description : 
''With Mark Hopkins on one end of a log and an earnest 
student on the other, you will have a university." Such 
a teacher was Alexander Campbell, and wherever he and 
such a student met there was a university. We have his 
intellectual sons throughout our brotherhood. 

His leadership is undisputed ; like Saul of old, he stood 
head and shoulders above his brethren. As preacher, 
debater, writer, teacher, thinker, leader, he stands first 
among our brethren. The "Christian System" is the 
embodiment of his contribution of thought to our move- 
ment. 




J. H. Painter, 
Eddyville, la. 



2C0 



l^JERMOJSS AND ADDRESSi^S, 261 



J. H. PAINTER. 

J. H. Painter was born in Fleming County, Ky., in the 
year 1841, and was brought up in Warren and McDonough 
Counties, 111., from 1844 until 1861, when he enlisted in 
the army and served three years. After this service he 
remained in Tennessee, joined the M. E. Church, and was 
licensed to exhort, then to preach. In 1866 he removed to 
Cass County, Mo., where he became identified with the 
Disciples, under the ministry of M. D. Todd, and began 
preaching for them in 1868. Later he removed to Kansas, 
where he was quite active and successful in the ministry 
until 1875, when he returned to the locality in Illinois 
where he was brought up, and established a church, bap- 
tizing a number of his kinsmen and others, around whose 
knees he had played in youth. That church still exists. 
In 1876— Christmas Day — he landed in Iowa, where his 
ministerial labors have been chiefly wrought. Howbeit, 
he has held meetings since then in Kansas, Missouri, Illi- 
nois, the Dakotas and Nebraska. He was State evangelist 
in Iowa for twelve years and organized nearly one hun- 
dred of her churches, besides assisting, more or less, all 
the others. At one time he personally knew every 
preacher, and the condition of every church, in the State, 
even when the former numbered nearly two hundred, 
and the latter nearly twice as many. Most of this time he 
was on the editorial staff of the Christian Oracle, hardly 
ever missing an issue in which his busy pen did not en- 
rich its columns, to the delight of its readers. It was a 
common remark of its readers: "I read every word he 
writes, first." Sometimes his criticisms were quite 
severe, and almost raised the cuticle on somebody. Once 
or twice a complaint was made to the editor that the com- 
plainer didn't like Painter's writing. The editor told 
them to skip it then ; that there were many others who 
did like it. Then the answer came back: "We do not 
want to skip it ; we never fail to read every word he 



202 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

writes, even if we have to skip something else. " Of course 
the editor replied that his paper was printed for the purpose 
of being read, and therefore this writer must be a success. 
Bro. Painter has been a most untiring worker during 
all the years of his ministry. He was never idle. Iowa 
owes more to him for the present condition of the church 
within her borders than to perhaps any other man in the 
State. Patient under difficulties, wise in counsel, earnest 
and Scriptural in the pulpit, and a most genial fireside 
companion. No one was a more welcome visitor at my 
home. Everybody loved him, even those whom he severely 
criticised. 

The subject of this sketch has a remarkably clear con- 
ception of apostolic Christianity, and can express it in 
''great plainness of speech." You may not agree with 
him, but you will not misunderstand him. He never uses 
two words when one will express his meaning. His con- 
verts — and they are many — generally know what they be- 
lieve, and can give a "reason for the hope that is in 
them." The lines between Judaism and Christianity, and 
between apostolic Christianity and modern denomination- 
alism, yea, between the gospel of Christ and all other 
systems, exist in his mind as clear as light, and hence he 
is no compromiser with any rival concern of the gospel. 
He has written several tracts, and conducted two or 
three written and ooe oral discussion. 

After resigning as State evangelist, he accepted the 
position of field agent for the Standard Publishing Com- 
pany, but at the end of two years resigned, and preached 
two years for the Bondurant and Rising Sun Churches, near 
Des Moines, la., putting them on the high road to a fine 
success. He is now living at Eddyville, la., somewhat re- 
tired, preaching three-fourths of his time, and "exer- 
cising a little " on a small home of eight acres. He has 
recently brought out a small volume of three hundred 
pages, "Reminiscences and Notes;" is married to his 
second wife ; has four children, but none are with him, 
having families of their own. He is five feet six inches 
in height; weighs 135 pounds ; has brown hair and eyes, and 
looks younger than he is. L. C. Wilson. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 203 



RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH. 

(I. Tim. ii. 15.) 
J. H. PAINTER. 

I am asked to write on the above theme, and to put it 
as plainly as I can. I will try to do so ; and will ask the 
reader to think while he reads, so that he will understand 
me, and then to examine the Scriptures cited, and see 
whether I am correct in what I say. 

First, what is " the word of truth "? That is, not what 
the people usually call the word of truth, but what did 
Paul mean by that phrase ? The people, generally, call 
the Bible the word of truth. Did Paul mean the Bible 
when he told Timothy to " rightly divide the word of 
truth "? If so, the New Testament is not meant, for it 
was not then written. The very letter Paul was then 
writing was no part of the Bible ; but it is part of it now. 
And there are other portions of the New Testament that 
were not in existence at that time, and hence were un- 
known to Timothy. 

Therefore the New Testament Scriptures could not 
have been meant. However true they are, and however 
much they were given by the inspiration of God, they are 
not referred to at all in Paul's use of "the word of truth. " 
Did he mean the Old Testament Scriptures ? Timothy had 
known them from his childhood (II. Tim. iii. 15), and could 
*' rightly divide " them without first studying how to do 
it. He had studied them enough for that. /But this thing 
he was here told to rightly divide, required some study on 
his part in order to do it. He could not rightly divide it, 
not then, without first studying. We conclude, then, that 
Paul had no reference to the Old Testament Scriptures, 
either, when he said "the word of truth." By the way, 
can the reader recall any passage of Scripture that speaks 
of the Bible as " the word of truth" ? Does he remember 
any one that calls either the Old Testament or the New 
"the word of truth"? The truth is, as any one can see 



204 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

at a glance, the Bible, as we have it, is not mentioned in 
the Scriptures at all. But ''holy scriptures," "scrip- 
tures of the prophets," "oracles of God," etc., plural 
number, are there, while "the word of truth " is in the 
singular number, and evidently something peculiar to 
itself. 

Now, while " the word of truth " is not the Bible, per- 
haps we can find out by the Bible what it is Timothy was 
to rightly divide. Let us see, Jas. i. 18 : "Of his own will 
begat he us with the word of truth." Did he beget them 
with the Bible ? No ; well, then, the word of truth means 
something else. Did he be'gel; them with the Old Testa- 
ment ? No ; then, the word of truth means^something 
else. Did he beget them by the New Testament ? No ; for 
that book was not then written. Then the word of truth 
means something else, since he " begat us " with that. 

Now look at Eph. i. 13: " In whom ye also trusted, 
after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel," etc. 
There we have it. The thing is here plainly defined, which 
Paul told Timothy to rightly divide. It is the gospel. 
Bug what gospel? The gospel of Christ. "For the law 
was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus 
Christ " ('John i. 17). Here we have two fountains and 
two streams placed in contrast : Moses and the law on the 
one hand, and Jesus Christ and grace and truth on the 
other. Again : " If ye continue in my word, ... ye shall 
know the truth, and the truth shall make you free " (John 
viii. 31, 32). "The word of truth," therefore, came by 
Christ — not by Moses ; is not in the Old Testament, 
for that does not set forth the words of Christ. Paul 
speaks of " the word of truth of the gospel " (Col. i. 5) ; 
Peter speaks of obeying " the truth through the Spirit," 
and says, " This is the word which by the gospel is 
preached unto you " (I. Pet. i. 22, 25). So we are safe in 
the conclusion that the word of truth which Paul told 
Timothy to rightly divide, is the gospel of Christ, which 
was unknown in the ages before apostolic time (Eph. iii. 
5, 6 ; Rom. xvi. 25, 26). 

Second, what is meant by dividing the word of truth ? 
To cut it in pieces ? If so, how many parts will there be 



SEtiMONS AND ADDRESSES. 205 

after it is divided ? Or, was Timothy to find out how many 
parts or pieces he could make of it ? Of what size must 
the parts be ? Must they all be of the same size ? If the 
size of ^ach ^ari is .not given, nor the number of parts 
stated, how will he know when ^iias rightly divided it ? 
The reader will hardly suppose that Timothy was merely 
to divide the word of truth into parts, with or without any 
reference to dimensions or number of such. It may be 
suggested that Timothy was to parcel it out among G-od's 
people, as the land of Canaan was once divided among his 
people. Is this the sense in which the word of truth is to 
be divided ? Then, no one can possess the whole truth. 
We want a fair division, of course. What part of the 
gospel is mine ? What part is yours, reader ? Christ 
said : ''Preach the gospel to every creature " (Mark xvi. 
15). Why not preach to each creature his own part of it 
if in this sense it is to be divided ? But is not the gospel 
to be preached to sinners ? Yes. Then what becomes of 
the theory that it is to be divided among God's people like 
Canaan was divided ? The theory falls. No Canaaaite 
received any part of the division. Some other explanation 
must be sought. The Canaan theory will not do, since the 
word of truth is to be given to sinners as well as to saints. 
It may be suggested that Timothy is to discriminate be- 
tween saints and sinners, giving instruction to sinners 
how to become saints, and to saints how to continue as 
such. But this would be rightly dividing the people, in- 
stead of dividing the truth. The reader is now able to see 
that something other than I have yet named is intended. 
It is this : he is to rightly apply the word of truth so as to 
save the sinner and develop the saint. A lady cutting out 
a garment, rightly applying the shears to the cloth, for 
that purpose, presents a fair picture of the original in 
this passage. Elsewhere in Paul's letter to Timothy, he 
says: "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; 
continue in this : for in so doing thou shalt both save thy- 
self and them that hear thee " (I. Tim. iv. 16). 

Thus it is seen that the handling of the word of truth 
was to secure the salvation of men. To rightly divide the 
word of truth, is to preach the whole gospel, and in such 



206 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

a way that men caa learn what to do to be saved. To 
preach, and yet leave men ignorant of the way of life, is 
not to rightly divide the word of truth. To preach less 
than the whole truth would leave men less than fully in- 
structed on the great salvation ; to preach something dif- 
ferent from the word of truth would instruct them on 
something differing from the great salvation, and to add 
something to it would be to burden it with useless weight 
and disable the sinner. Hence, careful study is necessary 
to separate the word of truth from everything else, and 
to present to dying men and women the great salvation 
just as it came from heaven. 




J. B. Briney, 

Moberly, Mo. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 209 



JOHN B. BRINEY 

Was born in Nelson County, Ky., Feb. 11, 1839. He lived 
on the farm, and performed the usual work of a farmers 
boy until he was sixteen years of age, attending school at 
the country log schoolhouse, where many an embryonic 
statesman, theologian and jurist has had his beginning. 
This particular school lasted only during the. winter 
months, and the subject of this sketch enjoyed its advan- 
tages for three winters. At the age of sixteen, when 
most boys of spirit think of doing something for them- 
selves, he apprenticed himself to a builder to learn the 
carpenter trade. He served his apprenticeship of three 
years, receiving for the first year $30, for the second $-40, 
and for the third $50. He was married Sept. 25, 1861, to 
Miss Lucinda Haibert, of Nelson County, Ky., and en- 
tered Eminence College in that State one year thereafter, 
taking a four years' course. He became pastor of the 
Eminence Church one year before leaving school, and 
served the congregation three years. From Eminence he 
went to Millersburg, where he labored two years, remov- 
ing thence to Winchester, where he was located with the 
church four years. His next pastorate was Maysville, 
where he remained six years. His last pastorate in Ken- 
tucky was with the church at Covington, where he labored 
two and a half years. He was State evangelist in Ken- 
tucky two years, and edited the Apostolic Times two years, 
showing great strength as a writer. 

In January, 1886, he became pastor of the Linden 
Street Church, Memphis, Tenn., where he labored with 
great acceptance until his resignation in July, 1888, Dur- 
ing his residence in Memphis he conducted a Southern De- 
partment in the Christian- Evangelist, which dealt, in a vig- 
orous way, with certain erroneous theories which had 
impeded the progress of our cause in the South, He re- 
moved to Springfield, 111., in July, 1888, where he served 
as pastor in that capital city until January, 1891, when 



210 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

he resigned to accept a call from Tacoma, Wash., where 
it was expected he would render valuable service in devel- 
oping the interest of our cause in that young State. 
While preparing to go to his Western field of labor, he 
met with the unfortunate accident of February 3, in ' 
which his hip was fractured by a fall, and which frus- 
trated all his plans. The cherished hope of his many 
friends, that the accident would not seriously inter- 
fere with his great usefulness in the cause of religious 
restoration and reformation, has been realized. He is 
now able to go about, but favors the limb that was in- 
jured. He has held about fifteen oral debates, and sev- 
eral newspaper discussions with representative men. He 
is at present associated with his son, W. N., in the publi- 
cation of Briney's Monthly, a religious periodical of great 
merit, in which the living questions of the day are vigor- 
ously discussed. The monthly is now in its third year, 
and growing in favor with the people. All who are seek- 
ing after the "old paths " will enjoy reading this journal. 
It is published from Moberly, Mo., the present home of 
the editor. L. C. Wilson. 



Will D^oralily Save a D/^an? 



A CONSENSUS OF SGRIPTURAL THOUQHT 
ON THE SUBJECT. 



211 



SERMONS AND ADDEESSES. 213 



WILL MORALITY SAVE A MAN? 
FART I. 

J. B. BRINEY. 

This question looks at morality as separated from 
Christianity. Can a morality that ignores and disre- 
gards Christianity save a man, is the question that we 
propose to consider. But we wish to state first of all 
that no man can be saved without morality. The morality 
that the Christian religion enjoins is the purest, highest 
and most complete type of morality known to the world. 
It is the purpose of the gospel of Jesus Christ to teach 
men how to live right in this world as well as to show 
them the way to a life of happiness in the world to come. 
Any system of religion that does not include the prin- 
ciples of true morality is a snare and a delusion. But 
morality makes no room or provision for the forgiveness 
of sin, and no sinner can be saved unless his sins are 
pardoned. If a man could live a life of absolute siuless- 
ness, violating no correct moral principle, he would no 
doubt go to heaven as a matter of justice. But who will 
lay claim to such a life ? We do not believe the antiquated 
doctrine that everybody sins all the time, but we do be- 
lieve that "no man lives and sins not." We suppose that 
every sane man is painfully conscious that he has done 
things that he should not have done, and left undone 
things that he should have performed. No one can have 
any overplus of morality with which to mend any break 
that sin may have made in the harness of his self-right- 
eousness. Hence, if a sinner is saved at all, it must be 
by grace, and not by personal merit. This much, reason 
seems to teach. 

But when we come to look at the question from the 
standpoint of revelation, the impossibility of salvation 
without the exercise of the pardoning power, comes out 
in bold relief. None but God is clothed with authority 
and power to forgive sin, and He is clothed with power 



214 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

and authority to prescribe the conditions of pardon. No 
sinner has the right to stipulate the terms of his own 
pardon. If pardoned at all, he must be pardoned on such 
conditions as it may please the one who has been sinned 
against, to lay down. In the riches of His grace it has 
pleased the Father to offer pardon to men on the basis of 
the atonement for sin, which the Lord Jesus Christ has 
made by his own death. Hence we are told that there 
"is no other name under heaven, given among men, 
whereby we must be saved, than the name of Jesus 
Christ." This salvation is accessible to men on the basis 
of grace, and not on that of morality. The Nazarene was 
called Jesus "because he should save his people from their 
sins," and the Scriptures make it perfectly plain how He 
proposes to do this. "He became the author of eternal 
salvation to all them that obey him," is the pointed and 
positive declaration of the word of G-od, and in Revela- 
tion the redeemed hosts are represented as ascribing their 
salvation to the Lamb who was slain. It would create a 
tremendous discord in the heavenly music if one should 
appear in that mighty throng, as they crowd around the 
Redeemer and shout His praises because of their salva- 
tion through His blood, and begin to sing his own praises 
and ascribe his salvation to his own morality. 

It might be well to examine one or two individual 
cases of salvation mentioned in the Scriptures, to see 
what light they throw on the subject. Judging from what 
we know of Cornelius, as his character is presented to us 
in the tenth chapter of Acts, he was about as perfect in 
his morals as it ever falls to the lot of man to be. He was 
"a devout man and one that feared God with all his 
house ; who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to 
Godalway. " This brief statement presents a character 
that is beautiful and symmetrical in its moral excellence, 
and if any man might claim salvation on the ground of 
personal morality, certainly Cornelius might have done 
so. But it was necessary for him to hear words by which 
he might be saved, and hence Peter was sent to him 
with the gospel which is God's power for salvation to 
the believer. In other words, it was necessary for Cor- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 215 

nelius, notwithstanding his morality, to hear, believe and 
obey the gospel, in order to be saved. What man is will- 
ing to take his chances on his own morality in view of 
this conspicuous case ? 

To this may be added the case of Lydia, and many 
other men and women whose moral character stands forth 
in beautiful array in the New Testament, but who had to 
be saved through riches of grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
We repeat, for the sake of emphasis, that salvation is 
impossible without morality ; but he who leans upon his 
morality alone for salvation, leans upon a broken reed or 
builds upon the sand. We need both the death that Christ 
died and the life He now lives in the presence of God our 
Mediator, to be saved with an everlasting salvation. We 
all sin, and, therefore, we all need an advocate with the 
Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous ; and alas for the 
man who expects to stand before God in his own right- 
eousness in the day of judgment 1 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 217 



WILL MORALITY SAVE A MAN? 
FART II. 

JAMES C. CREEL. 

The word ''man," in the foregoing question, is used 
generically, meaning a person — any accountable person 
or responsible person. The term "morality" in the 
question means a conformity to what the moralist con- 
ceives to be the standard of right, or right-doing. 

1. Morality will not save a person, because it claims 
justification through or by deeds of law. The moralist 
claims justification on the grounds of having done the 
deeds of law, or having conformed to the standard of 
right or the law of right as he conceives it to be the 
standard of right. It is the old false doctrine of justifi- 
cation by deeds of law, not simply "the law," but any 
law or rule of human conduct. Paul refutes this false 
doctrine of justification in these words: "Therefore by 
the deeds of the law [or any law] there shall no flesh be 
justified in his sight : for by the law is the knowledge of 
sin" (Rom. iii. 20). Justification by deeds of law is im- 
possible from the fact it demands a perfect or sinless 
obedience to all and every requirement of law. The sin- 
less man, Christ Jesus, is the only one that was ever 
justified by the works or deeds of the law. 

2. Morality will not save a person, because it ignores 
the divine part in salvation. In salvation there is a 
human part and a divine part. The human part is what 
man must do to be saved ; it is what the gospel requires 
of every one in order to be saved. The divine part is 
what God does in salvation and what man can not do. 
God does the divine part on the condition that man does 
the human part. In other words, man believes, repents 
and obeys— does the human part ; God saves from sin the 
obedient, penitent believer — does the divine part which 
man can not do. The moralist claims salvation solely on 



218 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the ground of what he does; he looks to his own moral 
deeds for salvation, and thus ignores the divine part in 
salvation or what God does in saving sinners. 

3. Morality will not save a person, because there is no 
remission of sins in it. A person may live the beautiful 
moral life of many moralists, which is indeed commenda- 
ble in point of beautiful morality, but what about the sins 
committed previous to living this beautiful morality ? 
No system of ethics or morality, apart from the gospel of 
Christ, has any remission or forgiveness of sins in it, 
or makes any provision, whatever, for the forgiveness of 
sins. Man can never be saved without the remission of 
sins. God only can and does forgive sin. The gracious 
provisions made for the forgiveness of sins, and all the 
conditions of the forgiveness of sins, are given in the gos- 
pel alone. As no system of ethics or beautiful morals 
apart from the gospel, ancient or modern, has any real 
forgiveness of sins in it, therefore the most beautiful 
morality will not save a person from sin. 

4. Morality will not save a person, because it has not in 
it the Christ, the one and only Saviour of sinners. Christ 
alone can and does save ; neither is there salvation in any 
other. The apostle says: "And in none other is there 
salvation : for neither is there any other name under 
heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be 
saved "(Acts iv. 12 — Revised Version). The moralist, in 
reality, makes himself the savior of himself and really re- 
jects the Christ as the one a^d only Saviour. The mor- 
alist actually does this in refusing to obey the plain com- 
mandments of the Christ, and thus enter into the church, 
the kingdom of God on earth. 

5. Morality will not save a person, because it super- 
sedes the necessity of the death of Christ and all that God 
in his mercy and love has done to save man from sin. If 
morality will save a man, then this wonderful passage is 
simply meaningless: "For God so loved the world, that 
he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life " (John 
iii. 16). These sublime words of Paul mean nothing when 
he says, " Christ died for our sins according to the scrip- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 219 

tures " (I. Cor. xv. 3), if morality can save a soul. If 
morality will save a man, then Peter spoke idle words 
when he says, "For Christ also hath suffered for sins, the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God" 
(I. Pet. iii. 18). The moralist's claim of salvation is a 
coming to God, or a claiming of salvation apart from the 
death of Christ. The death of Christ, the story of the 
cross, and all that God has graciously done for the salva- 
tion of the sinner, is wholly unnecessary if simple morality 
will save a single sinner or moralist. 

6. Morality will not save a person, because the Scrip- 
tures give a plain example of its failure to save in the 
case of the moral and pious Cornelius. As to morality or 
simple piety, there is not a more prominent example 
mentioned in the New Testament than Cornelius, the 
Roman centurion. More real morality can not be found 
in the life of any modern moralist than is ascribed to 
Cornelius in these words: "J. devout man, and one that 
feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the 
people, and prayed to God always" (Acts x. 2). This good 
man, this great moral man, with all his morality was yet 
unsaved. An angel from God tells him to send for the 
apostle Peter, "u-Ao shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all 
thy house shall he saved'' (Acts xi. 14). Moreover, Cor- 
nelius and his house were the real pious w/iimmersed. Tne 
apostle Peter commanded these same pious, i^nsaved, un- 
immersed to be immersed in these words : "And he com- 
manded them to be baptized [immersed] in the name of 
the Lord" (Acts x. 48). 

The conclusion is now reached beyond a doubt that 
moralit}", or simple piety, though it may be great and 
beautiful, will not save a man. If a man is saved at all 
in the present age of the world, he must be saved by the 
gospel of Christ. The gospel of Christ is ^' the power of 
God'' to save man from sin. The gospel of Christ is the 
power of God unto salvation because in it is to be found 
the one and only Saviour ; in it is to be found the one 
atoning sacrifice for sin ; in it is to be found the real 
blood that ' ' cleanseth us from all sin ;" in it is to be found 
all the provisions that God has made for the salvation of 



220 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the lost and ruined world. In the gospel, therefore, is to 
be found the power of God, the power of Christ, the power 
of the Holy Spirit, to save from sin, because G-od, Christ 
and the Holy Spirit are in the gospel. If morality will 
save a man, then man can be saved apart from God, Christ 
and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, morality will not save 
any one. 

Plattsburg, Mo. 



sehmons and addresses. 221 



WILL MORALITY SAVE A MAN? 
PART III. 

J. H. PAINTER. 

The moral man is safe if he is a Christian : otherwise, 
not. Cornelius was a moral man, and also religious ; but 
was an unsaved man, according to the Scriptures. Mo- 
rality did not save him. There are many moral Jews who 
do not accept Christ, and who are also religious ; but 
their morality does not save them, according to the Scrip- 
tures. And there are many moral men who believe that 
Jesus Christ is the Saviour of sinners, but who do not 
call on Him for salvation. If their morality saves them, 
then there is another savior besides Jesus. But there is 
no other savior, according to the Scriptures. Both the 
moral and the immoral man have the same Saviour, or 
they have none. But He does not save the immoral man 
because of his immorality, nor the moral man on account 
of his morality ; but both on account of their faith in 
and obedience to Him. This rules out both the moral and 
the immoral unbeliever until both comply with the terms 
of salvation. The one has no advantage over the other — 
unless the moral man never did anything wrong in his 
life ; in which event he is sinless and needs no salvation. 
But there are no such men. ''AH have sinned." If a 
man never sinned hut once, a sinless life a/terioards can not 
blot that sin out. It must stand against him till He who 
has power to do so blots it out, or forgives. Good morals 
alone can not do it. This is so self-evident that it is 
amazing that any one should ever imagine that morality, 
or, to state it stronger still, a sinless life alone will save 
from sins committed before the period of sinlessness 
began. The very most that morality can do is to save 
one from immorality in the present. It can not antedate 
itself and affect a previous condition ; nor can it reach one 
moment into the future. It knows no forgiveness for the 
past, and has no promise of the future. 



222 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The moral maa may enjoy the approval of his friends 
and deal justly with them, giving each of them, and at all 
times, his dues. But, his destiny is not in their hands. 
They can not save his soul. Christ only does that, and on 
His own terms. But what of the moralist's dues to God 
all this time ? Does he render to God at all times his 
dues? If not, his morality availeth not. But, if so, his 
hope of salvation is on a loftier plane than morality. On 
the one hand, it is on the human level ; on the other, upon 
the divine elevation. Morality is of man ; salvation is of 
God. Therefore morality does not save. A man steals 
a horse, the penalty for which is imprisonment and hard 
labor for ten years. Now, if he steals no more, how does 
that fact save him from the penalty already due him ? 
Here is another : a man sins, the penalty for which is 
death. Now, how can sinlessness, or morality, after- 
wards save him from the penalty due him ? Where is 
your reason, my moral friend? If God promises salva- 
tion upon morality, where does He do it ? Give chapter 
and verse. It can not be done. The moralist must obey 
the gospel of Christ as well as anybody and everybody 
else. "Repent ye, therefore, and be baptized in the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 
ii. 38). 

Will morality save ? Yes ; it will save from immorality 
— that is, from the date one begins to be moral until the 
date he ceases. It will not save one from immoral prac- 
tices that occurred before he became moral, nor from 
those after he ceases to be moral. The immoral man can 
save himself from further immorality, if he will, by ceas- 
ing his immoral practices ; but that will not save him 
from his past immorality. If a man steals a horse, the 
penalty for which is ten years in prison at hard labor, but 
steals no more, the latter fact can not save him from the 
penalty already due. Yet it saves him additional penal- 
ties which would be his due if he kept on stealing. 

Eddyville, Ia. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 223 



WILL MORALITY SAVE A MAN? 
FART IV. 

L. C. WILSON. 

A good illustration came to. me in the night, and I 
hand it to you. A man got lost in the woods, where he 
wandered for days in his vain endeavor to find his way 
out. He was almost starved, was famishing with thirst, 
and was well-nigh exhausted. A man was passing that 
way, and found the stranger as described. The lost man's 
sunken eyes and gaunt appearance told the story. He 
told the man he had been there five days trying to find his 
way out. The man says: "I can take you out; I know 
this wood perfectly ; have been through here many times ; 
give me your hand, my friend, and I'll show you the 
way." * 'No, not now. " " Why wait a moment longer ? 
You need relief, and you need it badly, and just now ; 
come, let us go." "No, I'll try awhile longer; I think I 
can save myself." *' You may think I am a deceiver. I'll 
convince you." And, taking from his pocket valuable 
papers, he convinces the lost man that he is a reliable 
citizen, and has lived in that country for many years. 
"Yes, I think you are all right, but I'll not go with you 
now." "But, "says the would-be savior, "it's suicidal 
for you to stay here. Come, I plead with you ; come, let 
me take you to your honae, and plenty, and your loved 
ones, who are mourning for you." "No, I will not go 
now ; some other time I will. " And the man is compelled 
to turn away and leave the poor, lost man to die in the 
lonely forest. He dies just as surely as if the man had 
not found him. A savior passed his way and plead with 
him, but he rejected the proffered aid. Application : The 
world was lost, hopelessly lost. God sent a Saviour to 
guide the sinner to his home. If the sinner refuses to 
accept the Saviour's help, he will die in the same condition 
that he would if Jesus had not come. 



224 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

A man may be a strictly moral man, as the world looks 
upon morality, and stoutly deny the divine sonship of 
Jesus. He may be a moral man and utt rly refuse, in the 
light of all the testimony on this subject, to obey a single 
requirement of Jesus. He may be a moral man and a 
lover of men ; a benefactor, full of almsdeeds, lavished 
upon the poor ; he may be an admirer of all that is beau- 
tiful, and a lover of the pure life that is built after the 
pattern given by the divine Architect; he may look up 
into the star-lit sky, bedecked with all the brilliant splen- 
dor of the Creator's handiwork — he may be all this, and 
then turn on his heels and deliberately say, *' There is no 
God." This is to deny Christ, and the scheme of redemp- 
tion ; it makes the Bible a volume of falsehoods, unworthy 
the confidence of the most debased. To say that such a 
life as this will save a man is to make man his owq savior. 
Such a system of salvation finds the man and leaves him 
in the same condition as the lost man in the woods. He 
refuses the proffered aid by the only Saviour, and dies as 
surely as if no Saviour had been provided. No man can 
escape this conclusion without assuming the position that 
the world would have been saved without the mission of 
Jesus. This is to charge God with an extravagant work, to 
accuse Jesus of coming on a useless mission, and the Holy 
Spirit of lying, for he says Jesus came to ''save the 
people from their sins. " 

Again, if morality will save one man, it will save two ; 
if it will save two, it will save twenty ; if it will save 
twenty, it will save twenty thousand ; if it will save so 
many, it will save the inhabitants of a State, of two 
States, of all the States. If morality will save the people 
of one country, it will of all countries. This being true, 
the Bible statement that '*' God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in 
him should not perish, but have everlasting life ; for God 
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but 
that the world through him might be saved, " is the baldest 
nonsense, and the Bible story of His death on the cross, 
that man might be saved, is the most stupendous farce 
ever seen or heard of by mortal man. The shedding of 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 225 

His blood on Calvary, that we might wash therein and be 
clean ; His tragic death on the cross, that a way might be 
opened up for man's redemption ; in short, the whole New 
Testament account of the love of Christ for fallen man, 
and His labors to lift man up to God by the sacrifice of 
Himself, is one bundle of falsehoods, if morality will save 
a single soul, or atone for the smallest sin. Was God 
trifling with man when He said : " Other foundation can 
no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ " 
(I. Cor. iii. 11)? "This is the stone that was set at 
naught of you builders, which is become the head of the 
corner. Neither is there salvation in any other ; tor 
there is none other name under heaven given among men, 
whereby we must be saved " (Acts iv. 11, 12). Therefore, 
no man can be saved in his own name, nor by his own 
works. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the 
light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood 
of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (I. 
John i. 7). 

Not our own good works, but the hlood of Jesus, will 
cleanse us. " Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not re- 
deemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from 
your vain conversation received by tradition from your 
fathers ; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb 
without blemish and without spot " (I. Pet. i. 18, 19). And 
we might multiply Scriptures, but one is as good as a 
thousand. The conclusion to which the thoughtful must 
come is that if morality will save from sin, then these 
Scriptures are without meaning, and hence God can not 
be the author of them. Take from the Bible every state- 
ment of the Christ, and every reference to Him, and you 
have the merest cobweb left. And so it turns out that 
the doctrine that "morality will save " has a wonderful 
sweep, for it not only destroys the redemption plan in 
Christ, but at the same time takes our Bible from us, since 
it brands it as untrue. If morality will save, certainly 
Jesus knew it. Then why did he not say, " Be moral, and 
I'll save you " ? There is not an utterance, nor a hint ot 
the kind, in all the teachings of the Christ. The Book 
says : " We have all sinned, and come short of the glory 



226 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

of God " (Rom. iii. 23). Since you can not forgive your- 
self for the infraction of another's law, how are you going 
to be made free from the sins you committed before you 
became a moral man ? If you say you have been moral all 
your life and have not sinned, you make God a liar 
(I. John i. 10), which is to impeach his divinity, and thus 
blast the whole redemptive plan as revealed in the word 
of God. The doctrine that morality will save, makes man 
his own savior, which renders everything that God and 
Christ have done for us, vain and empty. 

View this doctrine from whatever angle you will, and 
it is wanting. It fails at every point. It will leave you, 
friendly sinner, upon the barren plains of gloom and 
doubt, with not one thing to commend you to the favor 
of Him whose law you have broken a thousand times. It 
will leave you without an advocate, "even Jesus Christ 
the righteous," in the day that will try men's souls. It 
may partially satisfy you now, but it will prove to be a 
broken reed when the angel shall stand with one foot on 
sea and one on solid land, and declare that time shall be 
no more ; and when the heavens shall be rolled together 
as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, 
and the earth and the works that are therein shall be 
burned up, then will your morality be tried in the fire, 
and it will not stand the test. From this conclusion there 
is absolutely no escape. 




M. S. Johnson, 
Carthage, Mo. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 229 



M. S. JOHNSON. 

Merritte Scott Johnson was born in Platte County, 
Mo., Jan. 31, 1850. His father, in company with others, 
purchased the site and platted the city of Leavenworth, 
Kan., in 1854, and the subject of this sketch grew to man- 
hood on a farm near that city. To a thorough academic 
education he added several years of elective work in col- 
lege ; and to a fair collegiate training has added years of 
diligent study and research in the library. He was mar- 
ried Dec. 20, 1875, to Carrie D. Leverton, of Hardin 
County, la., and attributes much of his success to the 
good, practical, business sense and all-around helpfulness 
of his wife. 

Bro. Johnson has never been guilty of sounding his 
own praise. He cares to be known and remembered, not 
by what he may say of himself, but only by what he has 
done. His reports of his work have always contained the 
briefest possible statement of facts. His pastorates have 
been at Holton, Kan.; Colorado Springs, Col., and New- 
ton, Jefferson, Iowa City, Mason City and Ottumwa, la. 
During his pastorate of four and a half years at Mason 
City, a handsome new church was erected i.t a cost of 
$14,000, and about four hundred members received into 
the church. A brief extract from the Mason City Daily 
Globe will give some estimate of his success and popular- 
ity in that city: " Such men as Bro. Johnson do not go beg- 
ging for a church. We know of none better equipped for 
his work that he. He has, through his guiding hand and 
Christian grace, been able to see the church here evolve 
from a small beginning to one of the first churches of the 
State ; and the congregation still regrets sincerely that it 
is not in the province of good things to retain his leader- 
ship. In the retirement of Bro. Johnson from church 
work here, Mason City loses one of its ministers that all 
denominations and ministers were glad to honor. Per- 
haps never in the history of the city was there a minister 



230 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

more universally respected ; and he leaves the city with- 
the benediction of love and well wishes of the whole com- 
munity." 

Bro. Johnson is a pastor by nature, taste and training; 
a peacemaker, remarkably successful in harmonizing dis- 
cordant elements, and in restoring the backslidden to fel- 
lowship and usefulness in the church. He is a successful 
recruiter, having many additions at regular services. He 
is not a professional proselyter, but has received into our 
fellowship a large number from other communions, in- 
cluding several ministers. His sermons are carefully 
prepared, but always delivered without manuscript and 
frequently without notes. He has great faith in the old 
gospel, when faithfully and lovingly proclaimed. He is 
uncompromising, but never unkind ; hence commands the 
respect and esteem of all good people. He is careful to 
avoid ruts and to give his congregations variety ; hence 
his sermons are textual or topical, didactic or hortatory, 
doctrinal or practical, as the occasion may seem to re- 
quire. The one here given was prepared especially for 
young people, and is a fair sample of the practical ser- 
mons he occasionally preaches. The writer has had the 
pleasure of the personal acquaintance of Bro. Johnson for 
many years, and is free to pronounce him a model preacher 
in every sense of the word, and he is blessed with a noble 
Christian family. L. C. W 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 231 



SELF-MASTERY. 

M. S. JOHNSON. 

Texts. — "If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, 
exeept he strive lawfully."— II. Tim. ii. 5. 

"And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all 
things." — I. Cor. ix. 27. 

Man aspires to rulership. And it is right, because it 
is natural. He was created for dominion. Listen ! 
'"Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. 
Thou hast crowned him'' — Why crown him unless God 
meant him to rule ? Listen further ! '' Thou hast given 
him dominion over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put 
all things under his feet." Man's mission is to subdue 
and control the earth. God gives him dominion by giving 
him something to conquer and control. But he must 
conquer it. He must strive for the mastery ; and he must 
strive lawfully. 

One of the first and most fundamental laws which 
govern all successful striving is given in our second text : 
"And every man that striveth for the mastery is tem- 
perate in all things" (I. Cor. ix. 27). To be temperate 
in all things is to have self-control — self-mastery. 

Some aspire to larger dominion than others. Some 
are fitted by nature for larger dominion. Some are con- 
tent to rule in the home sphere, some in the sphere of 
business, and some in the sphere of state. But every man 
and woman wants to master and manage something. 
But, according to the text, the first thing to do is to 
master self. These faculties — these powers of body, mind 
and moral nature — are the implements with which we are 
to work and to win. And the more thoroughly we can 
train them, the more perfectly we can control and direct 
them, the more pronounced will be our success. 

Self-mastery means much. Self includes all there is 
of you — body, soul and spirit. Man is often spoken of as 
a dual being, and sometimes as a triune being, having a 



232 .TWENTIETH CENTURY 

threefold nature. But he is more than triune ; more than 
quadruplex. Analyze him carefully, and you will find him 
a multiplex being, having manifold faculties and powers, 
the most complicated and wonderful piece of mechanism 
in the world. 

Self includes the mind — perception, memory, reason, 
judgment, affection, imagination, and all the faculties and 
powers of mind and moral nature. It includes the body — 
the eye, the ear, the hands, the feet, the tongue, the whole 
man. ' When you undertake, therefore, to master self, 
you undertake to master one of the most mysterious, 
complex and unmanageable things in the world. You will 
have a big contract on your hands. If you don't take the 
contract, it will fall into other hands ; probably into very 
bad hands. If you don't master yourself, you will be 
mastered. 

But when you have mastered yourself, you have just 
about mastered the situation. You are ready to make the 
best of your circumstances ; to make surrounding condi- 
tions and forces serve you. If you do not make them serve 
you, they will enslave you. They will mold you and make 
you. If you have no mastery over self, then you are in a 
fair way to be made the sport and plaything of every con- 
trary wind that blows. 

But I have said that self-mastery was a difficult thing 
to achieve. But, difficult and impossible as it may seem, 
it can be done ; at least, in such measure as to bring 
infinite satisfaction to the soul and a rich revenue of glory 
to the Creator. Difficult as it may seem, there is a way 
to achieve it. There is a plan. It is a divine plan. With- 
out you recognize God's sovereignty, you are no more fit 
to govern self than you are to govern in any other sphere. 
But if you recognize God's authority, and accept the 
divine plan, you can not fail in the end. You may have 
discouragements and temporary failures, but your reward 
is sure. The victory will come by and by. But I want in 
this connection to emphasize the fact that God's plan of 
helping 3^ou is not such as to take away your freedom and 
responsibility. It is not such as to enfeeble your powers. 
But it is such as will engage, stimulate and develop your 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 233 

powers. He, therefore, gives you something to do ; puts 
responsibility upon you. And while you are to trust in 
God, you are not to slacken your own diligence. You may 
lean on God, but not laze on him. 

Self-mastery means that self has something to do. 
And among all the faculties, powers and parts of man's 
nature, take just one little member — the tongue, for in- 
stance — and some of you tonguey, high -tempered people 
try to control it for a few days, and see if it doesn't re- 
quire some effort. Just take this precept, "Be swift to 
hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." Now, some of you 
quick-spoken, quick-tempered, blunt, blurty people, who 
have never put any restraint on your tongues, take that 
home and practice on it awhile, and see what you can do 
with it. By the way, the mastery and management of 
your tongue is very essential to your success. Rules of 
rhetoric may be helpful, but common sense and moral 
principle are also required to govern it rightly. The 
world is full of people who talk too much ; who jabber 
words, but say nothing. Polonius, addressing Hamlet, 
said, "What readest thou, my lord?" and Hamlet re- 
sponded, "Words ! words ! words ! " Oh the weak, wordy, 
windy, worthless speeches that are made ! 

" Par too numerous is the herd of such 
As think too little and talk too much." 

"A fool's voice is known by multitude of words." 
The wise man says, "Be not rash with thy mouth." 
James says, " If any man among you seem to be religious, 
and bridleth not his tongue, this man's religion is vain." 
"If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect 
man, and able also to bridle the whole body." In the same 
connection, James says, "Behold, we put bits in the 
horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about 
their whole boiy." The purpose of the bridle is not, 
therefore, to keep the horse from going, but to regulate 
and guide him. Just so self-mastery does not mean to 
crush, cripple or paralyze any part of human nature, but 
to control it. And the tongue, when bridled and con- 
trolled, is a mighty instrument for good. 



234 TWENTIETH CENT UR Y 

What a power ia human speech to uplift ; in human 
eloquence to inspire ! What magic in words when skill- 
fully used ! On a trained tongue, they can be made to 
" dance and to sing, to sparkle like diamonds and to shine 
like stars," to charm like music and to heal like balm. 
They can amuse, instruct, encourage. Can paint the most 
beautiful pictures and express the sublimest truths. 
Christ ordained that the gospel should be proclaimed by 
the tongue of man. "Go teach all nations. " " Go preach 
the gospel to every creature." And, by the way, the 
world needs more skill.d and trained and consecrated 
tongues to proclaim that gospel which is the power of 
God to save. And it also needs skilled and consecrated 
lives to exemplify it. 

But I have only taken the tongue as an example. The 
whole being must be brought under control. Man's 
nature is so complex and plastic, his environment so 
varied, and in some cases so demoralizing, that he needs 
light and guidance. The world is full of traps and in- 
trigues for both men and women. We need to exercise 
eternal vigilance. 

You not only have mental faculties to train and 
develop, but you have appetites and passions, feelings 
and propensities to govern, and at times to restrain. Do 
you ask, " Why did God make me as I am ? " " Why did 
he give me such a tongue, such a temper, such appetites 
and passions as I have? " Why, he gave you these to 
use; not rashly nor unlawfully, but judiciously, temper- 
ately, and under the guidance of law. He gave you these 
to master and direct and restrain. Even your temper is 
a power for good if you master it, and a power for evil if 
it masters ?/ow. Do you say, "I wish I had less temper, 
less impulse, less passion"? Better say, "By the help 
of God, I will control these." Do you see that engine on 
the track hissing, sizzing, trembling with the power of 
confined steam ? Do you say, "It is a pity that it is so 
tremulous with power " ? " It is awfully dangerous ! The 
boiler might burst ! It might jump the track and kill the 
engineer, and wreck the train, and injure the passengers ! 
Therefore, let off the steam and put out the fire ! " 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 235 

Would that doctrine move the world's commerce and turn 
the world's machinery ? No ! You don't endorse the 
doctrine. Then, what do you do with the engine ? Con- 
trol it. Intelligently operate it. Keep it on the track. 
Watch the steam-gauge. Regulate its speed. Don't run 
over anybody, if you can help it. But let the fire burn. 
Keep up the steam, drive through to your destination, 
and, if possible, get there on time. 

Just so, young friends, learn to use your powers. 
Control, do not crush. Regulate in harmony with God's 
law. Do not be deceived by any view of liberty which 
throws off all restraint and gives unbridled license to lust 
and appetite. That is not liberty, but lawlessness. Law 
reigns in all realms. You can't escape it. And he who 
refuses to obey the laws that reign in him and over him is 
a candidate for ruin and perdition. 

Temper, impulse and passion, all are useful, G-od-given ; 
and, if restrained and controlled in harmony with God's 
law, are mighty powers for good. Do you see that splen- 
did horse ? How he prances ! How eager to go ! How 
lithe of limb and fleet of foot ! How graceful in every 
movement ! How spirited ! What an eye ! You say he 
is too spirited. He might throw his rider. Well, here 
comes another — a very tame horse, slow, sleepy-eyed, 
poor, reels just a little under his rider. He is safe. He 
won't hurt you. He is the better horse. Is that your 
judgment ? Which will you take ? Which has the greater 
market value? Which is the more useful in doing the 
world's work? What do you do with the strong horse, 
muscular, spirited and powerful? Why, bridle him, sad- 
dle him, stride him, ride him, guide him, regulate his speed. 
Do the same with your nature. Don't bleed it, starve it, 
and put it in the condition of the old horse ; but keep it in 
good, healthy condition. Bridle it, master it, make it obey 
you, use it for good. 

But you need a standard, a purpose, a plan. And the 
God who made you has made the plan ; has fixed the stand- 
ard. It is found in his word. But you need more than a 
written guide. You need a Jiving standard. You need 
precept aud principle, exemplified in a life, embodied in a 



236 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

living character. And we find the model character in 
Jesus, our great exemplar. 

G-od has done everything that reason or conscience could 
ask ; everything that man's condition and nature re- 
quire. He offers you every inducement. Holds out the 
most enchanting prospects. He promises you domin- 
ion here, and, if you are faithful over a few things, He 
offers you wider dominion over yonder. If you master 
self and are faithful in your sphere. He will say to you, 
after awhile, " Well done, thou good and faithful servant ; 
thou hast been faithful over a few things ; I will make 
thee ruler over many. " ''He that overcometh shall in- 
herit all things. ' ' But remember, every man that striveth 
for the mastery must be " temperate in all things," and 
that no man " who striveth for masteries is crowned ex- 
cept he strive lawfully." Will you strive according to 
the divine plan, achieve the victory and wear the crown ? 




C. L. Palmer, 

Shokan, N. Y. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 239 



RETAINING THE MINISTER. 

CHARLES LOTT PALMER. 

It is becomint^ more evident every year that the tend- 
ency is toward short pastorates. It is no longer uncom- 
mon for a minister to serve a church for one, two or three 
years, and resign to accept a call elsewhere. If an un- 
happ'y union has been effected between pastor and people, 
it is better for both that the relationship be annulled as 
soon as possible, but the resignation of an efficient min- 
ister is usually one of the greatest calamities to the cause 
of Christ. Usually an efficient pastor becomes more so 
as time advances, for it requires two or three years to be- 
come acquainted with the congregation and its needs. It 
is no small matter to learn who belong to the church and 
who do not, and to become acquainted with the many dis- 
positions with which every pastor must be associated. 
The minister has not attained his full usefulness until 
every detail of his pastoral work has become thoroughly 
systematized, which is far from possible within the lim- 
ited compass of too many pastorates. On the other hand, 
the officers and congregation are enabled to work more 
advantageously with a minister whom they have learned 
to lov^e on account of his judgment, piety and fidelity. 
Thus the two in happy union establish a force in the com- 
munity for righteousness that can not be otherwise re- 
alized. The cause of short pastorates is usually ascribed 
to the minister himself, as if only congregations were in- 
fallible. No one denies that many men are obliged to re- 
main only for a short time in a community for some reason 
that destroys ministerial usefulness, but let it be noted 
that there are conditions existing in certain churches that 
fully justify the pastor's resignation. We do not expect 
to find a perfect church on earth so long as it is consti- 
tuted of the human family, but we have a perfect right to 
expect that officers and members will lay aside personal 
ambitions for the cause of Jesus. There are churches in 



240 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

which insurmountable obstacles so affect the minister's 
joy and efficiency, that another field is sought in which to 
labor for the Master. 

1. One serious defect in our modern churches, especially in 
rural districts, is a lack of organization. This places a pastor 
in a most embarrassing position. There is no want of 
organization, but a great lack of organization. It is not 
uncommon for a church to have a number of societies, 
such as Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor, 
Junior Endeavor, Ladies' Aid, Missionary Society, Sun- 
day-school, Brotherhood of Andrew and Philip and Lit- 
erary Union. All of these are efficient and indispensable, 
but they are apt to create the disunion of that organic 
relation which ought to be sustained by and to the officers 
of the church. The author would not advise that any of 
the above be discontinued, but that a closer affinity be 
effected with the church of which they form a part. 
Again, these organizations feel that they have certain 
rights which ought to be respected. To this no one takes 
exception. But one of the greatest mistakes that elders 
and deacons can make is to resign any or all of their 
financial responsibility to the societies of the congrega- 
tion. There is too much of this done, and the conse- 
quence is that the officers become indolent, authority is 
scattered and the unity of the visible church becomes a 
matter of history. The money to support the church 
ought to be raised by the officers, independent of the or- 
ganizations. It is better for the different societies to give 
to benevolence than for the church to become dependent 
upon them. When the officers become too lazy, and in- 
different to the material interests of the church, it is high 
time to dump them out and obtain new ones. Nothing 
should be allowed to stand in the way of the cause of Jesus. 

2. This leads to another consideration, which is, that many 
ministers are ohliged to seeJc another change on account of 
financial conditions. The efficiency of a minister is usually 
impaired by a debt of any great amount, but unsyste- 
matic financial methods are fatal to peace and prosperity. 
Some communities are poverty-stricken and can raise no 
more than they are now giving, but usually an empty 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 241 

treasury is due to two reasons : first, peopb do not give 
in proportion to their means, and, second, the church 
finances are not managed by interested and capable men^ 
In view of this condition, the several organizations have 
undertaken to raise money by means of fairs, festivals, 
masquerades and other devices of the devil. Grab bags 
and fish-ponds have been employed by the church, to the 
injury of the Master's cause. These destroy voluntary 
giving and make the church dependent upon them. It 
is sad to contemplate the degraded condition of some 
churches because of the low means that have been used 
to raise money, all of which are in perfect conformity 
with the spirit of the world, but far beneath the dignity 
of the house of God. They belittle the church in the esti- 
mation of the world, and are fatal to the spirituality of a 
congregation. They utilize energies that ought to be em- 
ployed in the legitimate work of soul-saving, while the 
tendency is to resort to even more questionable methods. 
The result is that certain churches have destroyed volun- 
tary giving, and made it almost impossible to raise mor.ey 
by subscription. People will go to an entertainment 
and pay, but refuse to contribute without. The sooner 
churches return to the subscription or pew-renting sys- 
tem, the better for both pastor and people. It is quite 
possible to have monthly or weekly sociables of a musical, 
literary or educational nature without destroying the 
spirit of the church. 

3. Short pastorates are often caused hy an unwillingness on 
the part of the officers and members to co-operate with the pastor 
in the execution of certain ideas. It is not expected that a 
congregation will regard every whim of every minister 
as infallible, but the pastor must be the spiritual leader of 
the church, and as such it is the duty of every one to as- 
sist him to the full extent of their ability. There is noth- 
ing that is more discouraging to a pastor than to be op- 
posed by one or more chronic cranks in the congregation, 
for it is sad, but true, that some people want to rule or 
ruin. Usually a pastor expresses preferences in which he 
finds a church weak, and it is not unreasonable that he 
should expect all to aid in strengthening it. One will be 



242 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

weak financially, and he will advise the adoption of a mod- 
ern, systematic and approved plan. Another will be de- 
ficient in benevolence, and the pastor will suggest a plan 
to raise money for worthy objects. The latter is very 
dear to the heart of many ministers, and more than one 
has been sorely grieved by the opposition of some officer 
who loves money more than souls. Still another will have 
some local hindrance that the minister is confident can be 
removed. It is all-important that congregations elect 
only their best men to serve as officers, and that all ''work 
with " the minister to advance the cause of our Master 
here on the earth. 

4. Many congregations have local obstacles that may be 
classed as miscellaneous, and with which a pastor can combat 
only for a limited time. A church that is on the decline on 
account of losses by death and removals is undesirable, 
because people are very much inclined to give the pastor 
credit for its declension. There may be a drunken, licen- 
tious, profane or otherwise unfit man among the officers, 
who can not be ousted on account of a number of relatives 
in the church. How can a pastor be happy in his work 
with such men at the head of it ? There may be an old 
crank in the choir with a cracked voice who will not re- 
sign and is keeping others out. The sexton may be too 
lazy to clean the church and too ignorant to conduct him- 
self like a gentleman. There may be some who work and 
pray only for the money they get out of it. Others who 
can not stand a sermon on giving or conversion. Still 
others who pretend to be in full sympathy with both 
church and pastor, and are striving to destroy both. Oh, 
how many noble men have been obliged to leave a field in 
which they were needed, because of some local hindrance 
that they could no longer endure.* 

But what shall be done about it ? Let every officer 
and member examine his own heart and see if he is pre- 
venting the progress of the church, and, if so, remove 
the obstacle at once, and strive to live so close to the 
Master that He shall be first in all things. 

Shokan, N. Y. > 
*After I left Iowa I preached a short time for such a church.— Ed. 





K. A. Williams, 
Cisne, 111. 



244 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 245 



K. A. WILLIAMS. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Pope County, 
111., in 1875. Much of his early life was spent on a farm. 
His parents being poor, gave him very little opportunity 
for acquiring an education. At the age of fourteen he 
was cast out in the world to rely upon his own resources. 
He entered school at Eldorado at the age of eighteen. 
Afterwards taught a short time in both graded and un- 
graded schools. In the year 1897 he entered the Alma 
Industrial College at Alma, 111., to prepare for the min_ 
istry. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he 
enlisted in Company G, Fourth Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry, and served in foreign fields in the Seventh Army 
Corps as messenger, and also as chief mail clerk on Gen. 
Fitz Hugh Lee's staff. 

Upon his return from Cuba he entered the ministry un- 
der the leadership of King Immanuel, taking as his weapon 
of warfare the ''sword of the Spirit, which is the word of 
God.*' And his ability to use the knowledge he has 
gained from this most wonderful Book, has won for 
him the respect of the brotherhood wherever his influence 
has been felt. His work as an evangelist is a success, and 
as a pastor not a failure, being now (1902) serving his sec- 
ond year for the congregation at Cisne, 111. Bro. Will- 
iams is an interesting speaker, and always gives evidence 
of being master of his subject. He is fearless in his dec- 
laration of what ne knows to be the word of God. 

Bro. Williams was on General Lee's staff, and had every 
opportunity of seeing Rome as it existed in all its misera- 
ble rottenness and vileness and criminality. One must 
see it in order to appreciate it. 



246 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



WHAT I SAW IN CUBA. 

K. A. WILLIAMS. 



We landed upon the soil of Cuba, Queen of the Antilles, 
Dec. 14, 1898. The thing that impressed me most was the 
mark of four hundred years of Spanish rule, Romanism. 
The illiteracy of the people, caused by the absence of 
schools, brought to my memory the fact that "Rome 
never changes." You can not imagine the degradation 
and shame that existed where 80 or 90 per cent, of the 
people could neither read nor write. And yet these are the 
conditions under which Rome flourishes. She thrives on 
ignorance, and grows fat on that which is putrid with 
moral gangrene and leprousy. Old Havana is a walled 
city, with her cathedrals, convents, nunneries and monas- 
teries, with barred windows and doors, looking more like 
penitentiaries and prisons for the confinement of common 
thieves than like the homes of the true worshipers (?) of 
God. These things were evidences of oppression, and not 
freedom ; superstition, and not intelligence ; religion, but 
/ar, very far^ from Christianity. 

This compelled me to say, if anywhere in modern times, 
Popish rule — the blackness of Romish hellishness (I have 
no other word with which to express it), of Jesuitical in- 
genuity in the torture of humanity for the enriching of 
the ''man of sin " (II. Thess. ii. 2-7) — can be found, it is 
surely in this island. No true American can be a patriot, 
in the true sanse, and bow down to an Italian pontiff. 
Many strange and sad scenes met our gaze. Some horri- 
ble sights presented themselves, and we looked with won- 
der and amazement, as we proceeded a distance of about 
seven miles through the city of Havana to a suburban vil- 
lage called Vedado. We could see on every hand the effects 
of politico-ecclesiastical Romanism. The people were clad 
in many styles of dress — the priests in royal purple, the 
peasantry in pants only. Many children from one to 



SERMONS AND ADDHESSES. 247 

twelve were entirely nude. How does this compare with 
the boasted civilization of the Roman power ? 

We visited Christobal Colon Cemetery. Here we wit- 
nessed a sight that ought forever to damn any institution 
that will tolerate such practices. It calls one's mind to 
history's pages where is recorded the horrible scenes of 
that terrible Inquisition. Near the entrance to this cem- 
etery is a building with two apartments. One we will 
call a waiting-room, and the other a decomposition-room. 
The body is placed in the waiting-room until arrange- 
ments are made for burial ; viz. : buying a lot, obtaining 
a burial permit, and paying for both. In case the friends 
are too poor to make these preparations, the body is 
placed in the decomposition-room, where it is kept until 
decay sets in, and if no arrangements are made for burial, 
the remains are dumped in the " bone-yard. " The '' bone- 
yard" is a place in one corner of the cemetery said to be 
eighty feet square and fifty feet deep. It was almost full 
of human skeletons when we saw it. Priests derive a 
great revenue from rental, permits, etc. And since a 
priest is not supposed to sin, he can dig up the body if he 
does not get the monthly rent, and into the " bone-yard " 
it goes, and the buzzards pick the bones. 

This is Roman Catholic rottenness, perfected and per- 
petuated in the name of religion by the men who are at 
the head of this giant evil. When our army took possession 
of Havana, the Catholic buildings were opened for public 
inspection, and a general "clean-up " was ordered. This 
was a trying time on Rome. The hidden was brought to 
light. Many mysteries were revealed, and black crimes 
were brought to light. Cells were found containing 
human skeletons, racks, chop-blocks, stocks, and other 
horrible means of torture and punishment, proving that 
Romanism is the same bloody monster that it was in the 
days of the Spanish Inquisition, wherever it is in power, 
and confirming the statement that "Rome never changes." 

In traveling through the rural districts, you can read 
"oppression" on the faces of the tillers of the soil. I 
was inside of every style of dwelling, from the Governor's 
palace in the metropolis to the palm-thatched hut with 



24S TWEJ^TiETH CENTURV 

the earth for a floor, and all were taught to reverence 
"His Honor the Pope. " No wonder those people wanted 
liberty. Many of those old planters had shipped their 
sons and daughters over to the United States, and had 
them educated in our own schools. This put them into a 
position to appreciate the meaning of the term " liberty," 
and "republican form of government," etc. 

Cuba needs the gospel of Christ. She has been cursed 
by priestcraft and ground down by Roman Catholic 
arrogance for four centuries, and the great wonder is that 
the people are as good as they are. Let Cuba hear the 
gospel proclamation, and she will arouse from the slumber 
of ages, and break loose her fetters that have so long 
bound her like a galling yoke. If the truth shall make 
her free, she shall be free indeed. 

CiSNE, 111. 




T. F. Weaver, 
Honey Grove, Tex. 



250 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 251 



T. F. WEAVER. 

The subject of this sketch was born nearly fifty-three 
years ago in the village of Marietta, 111. When he was 
almost four years old, the family moved to a farm about 
one and one-half miles away. Here his life was spent on 
the farm, attending " The Deestrick " school through the 
three months of winter, where the first and about the only 
qualification of the teacher was to be able to lick the boys. 
His father was a poor manager, and somewhat given to 
dissipation. This, together with the loss of his mother 
when about seven years of age, left him without any one 
to care for his training. So, hard work and drudgery on 
the farm caused him to reach nineteen years of age with 
scarcely enough education to read, or to write his name. 
At that age he became alarmed at his condition and much 
concerned about his education. Therefore, at nineteen 
years of age, he entered the schools at Chambersburg, 111. 
It was very humiliating to have to enter the classes of 
little boys and girls from eight to ten years of age. Then, 
fco increase his embarrassment, he stuttered, so that at 
times he could not tell his name nor call the dogs. This 
often caused great laughter at his expense. But in his 
hot tears and maddened determination he resolved that he 
must win in a great and uneven conflict. One year was as 
long as he had to stay with those less than himself. He 
began to gain some attention from teacher and fellow- 
students the second year. The third year he was sought 
by the pupils when there was a hard problem to solve or a 
doubtful place in grammar. 

After finishing his three years' course here, he entered 
Abingdon College, remaining two years.- Then, having 
exhausted all the means he could borrow, and feeling that 
he must pay up his debts, he began teaching school. 
He taught one year, and was married to Miss Mattie 
E. Farr, July 22, 1873. He then became principal of the 
Bernadotte schools for four years. While teaching here, 



252 TWEl^TtETB CENTVltY 

Clifford S., who is now a missionary in Osaka, Japan, was 
born. From this place he was called to superintend the 
Chambersburg schools. It was a proud day in his life 
when he went there, where he had such a struggle as a 
stuttering schoolboy (though a man), to take charge of the 
schools. After two years in these schools and a short 
pastorate at Detroit, 111., he returned to Abingdon Col- 
lege in the fall of 1881, graduating from that college in 
June, 1883, after which he remained one year and gradu- 
ated from the Bible Department in June, 1884. Since 
then he has devoted all his time to the ministry. Having 
filled prominent pastorates in Illinois, he came to Texas 
in 1899, and is now pastor of the Christian Church at 
Honev Grove, Tex. 



i^ERMOI^S AlSfb Ai)DR:^ssi:s. 253 



WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST ? 

(Matt. xxii. 42.) 
T. F. WEAVER. 

This has beea a great question through all the ages, 
from the time of Christ till now. It is an important 
question now. Christ demands an answer. He haunts 
the mind of the thinker. The greatest thinkers, of all the 
years since the advent of Jesus, have had in some way to 
grapple with this problem. All sorts of theories have 
been advanced. All kinds of answers given. The enemies 
of Christ have sought out many curious inventions in 
order to satisfy the world that Jesus is a myth. Their 
schemes are crafty and artful. Every avenue has been 
entered ; every plan tried to lead the thinking mind away 
from Him. It is well for the believer to observe that no 
invention, however well laid, or scheme unfriendly to 
Christ, however perfect it at first seemed, has been able 
t) stand faithful investigation for a single decade. As a 
rule, the opposition to Jesus must arise, have its glory 
and its death in a day. Where now the wisdom of a Vol- 
taire, a Rousseau, a Robespierre, a Hume or a Gibbon ? 
Who quotes these great authors to disprove the claims of 
Jesus ? These, with scores of other such writers, had 
their day and their little circle. But that circle has 
lessened in diameter till now the great world is not con- 
scious that it ever had an existence. 

Compared to all these, what think ye of Christ ? Whose 
Son is he ? The Pharisee posed before the people of his 
nation as a master in testimony and evidence. He pre- 
sented our Saviour with questions intended to catch Him. 
He wished Jesus to commit Himself to some proposition 
in which he could with some propriety take exceptions to 
Him. The Pharisees gave themselves to hard and careful 
study to this end. " What will He say ? " " How will 
He answer ? " were their queries. How very craftily they 
imagined themselves to be closing in upon Him. Ah 1 



254 TWENTIETH CEJStTURY 

how skillful in advance. We will not ask Him something 
regarding Himself ; such a question might put Him on 
His guard. Or of God, for He will refer us to Moses and 
thus reflect upon our wisdom and our faithfu]ness. Thus 
the way to His removal will be hindered rather than 
hastened. We may rather ask for His opinion — opinion 
as to the greatest commandment. He may place His 
opinion upon some feature of the Decalogue which the 
common people will regard as weak comparatively, and 
thus we can reduce Him slightly in their estimation. A 
small gain of advantage would at any rate be an opening 
wedge. Here seemed to be about nine chances out of 
ten for them to reach their purpose. 

But, much to their dislike and mortification. He placed 
His opinion upon that to which all must consent. He is 
right. His answer is just and wise. It gives all glory to 
God, and regards just relations between man and man. 
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, 
and all thy soul, and all thy strength ; and thy neighbour 
as thyself. " What can be greater and better ? While 
these words are not contained in the Ten Commandments 
as such, yet they cover the whole of the old covenant. 
(See Deut. v. 6; Lev. xix. 18.) There His answer lies 
upon them, full, bold and strong. It entered like a sword 
into quivering flesh. What shall we do with ourselves 
now ? We were so confident of victory that we left our- 
selves no means of retreat. Common courtesy demands 
that, insomuch as we have asked Him a question to which 
He has given a manly and correct answer, we are in duty 
bound to answer Him, should He ask us. He answered 
us cheerfully. We are now at His mercy. Oh, if we were 
only free from Him. Would that we could disappear from 
His presence. Such, doubtless, were their feelings ; but 
they are not to escape. They came to capture Jesus, only 
to be captured by Him. He saw their motives, and they 
knew He did. He gazed upon them. They feel His power. 
They saw Him silence the Sadducees. Now these in turn 
are to behold their discomfiture. Poor Pharisees ! this 
was more than they had counted upon. If He questions 
them, they must try to answer. Ah ! says Jesus, I have 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 255 

a word with thee. You have come to me with pretenses. 
You would have me believe that it is the sanctity of 
God's law you have come to honor. That, out of your 
high regard for God's commandments, you have sought 
instruction. This is false, and you shall feel the keen 
edge of your falsity. You say I am an impostor, and you 
desire to make me testify to it. In this you have sadly 
failed. I will make you testify on your own proposition. 
See those guilty men there in the presence and power of 
Jesus. Haman-like, they are to be hanged upon the gal- 
lows of their own erection. They must face an unpleasant 
situation of their own making. 

When Jesus told them that He had a question for them, 
they were already conquered — self-condemned. Notwith- 
standing, they were somewhat relieved when Jesus asked, 
"What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?" They 
let the first question drop out of sight, and placed a 
fleshly construction upon the second and tried to answer 
it by saying, "He is David's son." They thought they 
had answered Him well. They gave him a high and re- 
spectable place in the estimation of the Jewish nation. 
David was a great king. Thus they said, Christ is the 
son of a great king. This they doubtless thought would 
satisfy Jesus, and they would quit even. He answered 
us well and kindly; in like manner we have answered 
Him. Little did they seem to realize that they were 
placing themselves fully in His hands. They doubtless 
thought, when they said " David's son," that Jesus would 
excuse them, and they could retire with fair honors and 
on even grounds. 

But, no ! wait 1 The Master has another question. 
"If Christ is David's son, how then doth David in spirit 
call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit 
thou on my right hand, till I put thine enemies under- 
neath thy feet? If David then call him Lord, how is he 
his son?" These Pharisees claimed to reverence David, 
and if David called Christ Lord, ?'. e., Master, what must 
they (the Pharisees) call him? Their great king, for 
whom they professed such admiration, called Him Lord. 
Will you call Him Lord? is Christ's question. There 



256 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

they stood convicted— self-condemned. They saw their 
sorry predicament, and rather than be honest they would 
play dumby ; yes, lie and say, "We can not tell. " 

The Pharisees, too, were put to silence. Yet from 
that day to this both Sadducees and Pharisees have risen 
up to question Jesus, and with no better success. The 
whole unbelieving world is destined to be put to silence. 
Jesus is King. His claims are just. He is to be vindi- 
cated. The duty of the Christian ministry to-day is to 
put the enemy to silence. The Pharisees and Sadducees 
had good reason to believe Jesus more than a mere man. 
They knew of His mighty acts of healing. They were 
not in the dark concerning His miracles. They stood in 
the light of His Sermon on the Mount. They well knew 
Christ to be more than David ever claimed to be. But 
their dishonesty forbade them saying, in the language of 
Nicodemus, " We know that thou art a teacher come from 
God, for no man can do the miracles that thou doest ex- 
cept God be with him." But what of the same class of 
pretenders and faultfinders to-day, who have not only the 
light from His miracles and wonders, His resurrection 
from the dead, and His ascension up into heaven, but also 
the power of all His influence and the effect of all His 
teachings? What of all these glorious results which have 
come to fhe world through His life and labors ? Behold, 
what manner of man is this, that even all men, of what- 
ever nation or condition, who obey Him, are wonderfully 
blest? 

His blessings to all the world, wherever His life has 
been made known, more than vindicate His claims. Re- 
deemed humanity is one of the strongest arguments in 
Christ's favor. The transformations He has wrought 
upon all conditions of humanity; society changed in its 
every aspect, and all for the better. His training is up- 
ward. Elevation characterizes all the life and works of 
Christ. His following has been long and the work ardu- 
ous. It has cost sacrifice, labor, peril, pain and life itself. 
Yet the true merit of Christ is so fully sustained, and His 
helpfulness to the world so great, that His followers are 
rapidly increasing, and they rejoice in whatever sacrifice 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 257 

they are called to make for Him. Let it be carefully no- 
ticed that Christ does not keep His followers in ignorance. 
The most boundless privileges and opportunities are 
freely granted them. The best educators and the best 
educated are among His most devoted followers. The 
broader the learning, the more devoted the following. 

"We now have greater reason for believing Christ di- 
vine than had those who lived in His day. We have seen 
more of Him. Time is a wonderful factor in all such 
problems. Time fully vindicates all the claims of Christ. 
Wherever He is known, there is enlightenment. There 
are liberty and brotherly kindness ; respect for self and 
for others. He alone has emphasized the G-olden Rule : 
"Do unto others as ye would that others do to you." 
Let the doubter present a singJe community, where 
Christ's teachings are being followed, that the Golden 
Rule, as leaven in the meal, is not working among them. 
Pretenders are not to be considered in this effort. Pre- 
tending followers of Christ and unworthy disciples have 
done more to impede His progress and stifle His influence 
than ail things else. Who else has placed humanity so 
high and given it such worthy purposes ? Others may 
have, for a time, occupied the intellect, but Jesus all the 
soul. The longer He is contemplated, the greater are the 
discoveries of His majesty. Others may deeply impress 
the minds of many, but Jesus lives in all hearts. No 
heart is so hard or so lowly that Jesus would not enter it. 
He is willing to stand at all doors and knock. He only 
asks that the most humble, by faith and obedience, open 
the door and let Him in. Who else has held such sway 
over men? What teacher, however wise, has given such 
maxims? Sayings that do not grow old or cease to excite 
admiration. Amidst all such lofty teachings, Jesus be- 
trays no personal pride, no self-praise. His words are 
words of candor and calmness ; His manner, that of an 
honest man who knows himself to be right. His life is a 
contradiction to false ambition. He seeks no earthly 
gain ; aspires to no position of worldly honor. He lives 
contented in the love of nature ; is meek and lowly, and de- 
clares He has no kingdom (or other political honors) here. 



258 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Yet, while denying Himself all worldly honors and de- 
nouncing both social and political advantage, He is will- 
ing, for the sake of suffering humanity, to convert the five 
loaves and the two little fishes into an abundance to feed 
the hungry thousands. Suppose Christ should now isk 
this multitude the same question he asked the Pharisees, 
''What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he ? " Yet 
the Pharisees knew of all this goodness. What artist has 
drawn to himself such multitudes of suffering men and 
women ? Who has, by any means, by all means, con- 
trived to live so long, so strong, so well, as Jesus lives 
throughout all the earth to all nationalities wherever His 
name is known ? His life has indeed been a life of help- 
fulness, his mission one of love. 

In view of all the light and life and joy, yea, and safety, 
we have from Jesus, let us ask, "What think ye of 
Christ?" Pilate, though ignoble, Bsked a question of 
great significance, one the opposers of Christ should be 
willing to answer, "Why, what evil hath he done?" 
View Jesus from whatever standpoint we may, and there 
is not a single plan, purpose or institution that can bless 
humanity that does not find in Him a friend. His life and 
teachings are unfriendly only to that which is evil and 
harmful to men. If Jesus is not its friend, it has no 
worthy friend, nor does it deserve one. Its history is a 
record that makes it abhorrent. Its life has a purpose 
worthy to be despised. Again the whole world is com- 
pelled to use the language of Pilate, though it is to 
be hoped more nobly. "I find in him no harm at all. He 
hath done nothing worthy of death." This must be the 
decision rendered by all who revere the truth. Let the 
whole enlightened world answer the questions which the 
Pharisees were too contemptible to answer, and it will be 
in the language of Peter when he said, "Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living God." Christ's life and 
works while here, and his influence over the civilized 
world since that time to this, justify and fully sustain the 
statement of Nicodemus : "We know that thou art a 
teacher come from God. " The miracle of raising the dead. 
or turning the water into wine, is no greater than that of 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 259 

taming, civilizing and domesticating the heathen na- 
tions and transforming their manner, changing all their 
customs and clothing them in their right mind. 

When the centurion beheld such wonders at the cruci- 
fixion, he said, " Of a truth this is the Son of God. " And 
yet greater wonders are transpiring in the name of Christ. 
Not only so, but He is daily increasing in influence and 
favor with the people. His life is continuously unfolding 
and enlarging. New beauty is ever appearing. Stronger 
reasons for serving him are constantly presenting them- 
selves. " Thou art the Christ " is the conclusion reached 
day by day by the thinking, grateful heart. When one is 
once properly led to this life-giving fountain of sparkling, 
living water, 'tis no trouble to induce him to drink. There 
will be no quibbling and dodging about conditions. Christ 
is the condition, and obedience is easy and natural. 

There will then be no demand that Christ's evangelist 
shall cover up or smooth out any of his requirements. If 
people are repelled at anything Christ requires, it is 
substantial evidence that such are not yet ready to re- 
nounce sin and take upon themselves the divine life. Re- 
gard it as an undeviating sign of unfitness to enter the 
church of Christ— His body — when one begins to quibble 
about baptism. If that subject has been faithfully and 
clearly set before him, and he hesitates, know well that 
such a one is not very near the kingdom. He is not wor- 
thy to enter in. He could not put on Christ. And all 
ministers who hesitate to teach plainly and kindly on this 
subject ; those who would apologize for it ; those who inti- 
mate that they had rather not mention baptism, when 
mentioned properly and in its own place, are in nowise 
worthy the position they pretend to occupy. The Lord 
has no need for such men. Let them leave the pulpit 
which they have all too long disgraced. Jesus is the Son 
of God and King of men, and it is His purpose in His min- 
istry that they should loyally declare it to all the world : 
*' Baptizing them into the name of the Father and, the Son 
and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you : and, lo, I ara with 
you alway, even unto the end of the world." 



Sermons^ lectures and 
Articles. 



QIVEN BY THE EDITOR AT DIFFERENT PLAGES- 
SOME OF THEM BY REQUEST. 



261 




Louis C. Wilson, 

Elvvood, Ind. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 265 



LOUIS C. WILSON. 

The subject of this sketch was born in Fayette County, 
Ind., Oct. 20, 1837. In early life his parents were poor, 
his father earning the living for the entire family at 
farming and wagon-making. Louis received such learning 
as the common school afforded, and in early manhood 
taught school during the winter, and farmed during the 
summer. 

In his eighteenth year he obeyed the gospel under the 
preaching of S. K. Hoshour, at Bentonville, Ind., his 
father being immersed at the same time. His mother was 
a Methodist, but, learning the way of the Lord more per- 
fectly, she became a member of the Church of Christ. 
He was married to Miss Sarah W. Treadway, daughter of 
Judge Treadway, of Bentonville, Ind., Dec. 29, 1859. The 
following spring he moved to Fairview, Ind., and followed 
farming until the war broke out, when he enlisted in the 
Third Indiana Cavalry, and was first lieutenant, quarter- 
master and ordnance officer, operating with the Army of 
the Potomac. Was in the battles of South Mountain, 
Antietam, Chancellors ville, Fredericksburg and Gettys- 
burg ; passed through the wilderness with Grant, and 
was in the famous Wilson raid in the rear of Richmond. 
Was a prisoner in Libby and on Belle Island. After three 
years' hard service, returned home. 

In the autumn of 1871, he removed to Iowa City, la. 
A stranger in a strange land, he sought for places to 
preach, believing that the best way to begin preaching 
was to begin. He found warm friends in the persons of 
John C. Hay, J. Mad. Williams and J. C. White. His first 
preaching was at Solon, fifteen miles from Iowa City, 
whither he went on foot, to and from his appointments. 
Removing to Brighton, la., in the spring of 1872, he 
preached there part of his time for nine consecutive years. 
At the same time he preached for Pleasant Hill, Columbus 
City, Le Claire, and was district evangelist in the South- 



266 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

east District of the State. Id all these fields, his labors 
were successful, and hundreds of friends remember him 
kindly to this day. In the spring of 1897, he was, as he 
thought, compelled by force of circumstances to move to 
Arkansas. It was a very unfortunate move. He counts 
it time lost. The spirits were not congenial. 

He is the author of several books and tracts. **The 
History of Sprinkling" is a very popular little work. 
His last work, "A Great Cloud of Witnesses," is desticed 
to be equalij^ popular when it comes to be known. He has 
in course of preparation a book of skeleton sermons and 
outlines, with incidents and illustrations, gathered from 
an active ministry of thirty years. His home is at 
Elwood, Ind., where he is spending his time in writing 
and preaching in adjacent neighborhoods. He says the 
*' latchstring is out. " 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 267 



EARLY RECOLLECTIONS OF IOWA. 

L. C. WILSON. 

In the winter of 1871 I crossed the Mississippi River 
at Davenport, la., and in a few hours landed in Iowa City. 
I had never been " out West. " I was a " stranger in a 
strange laud. " I had but little money. I must find some- 
thing to do to earn a livelihood. I wanted to preach, but 
did not have confidence enough in my ability. I never 
was hurt with self-esteem. I ransacked the city to find 
something to do. I was ready and willing for almost 
anything ; to clerk, to drive a delivery wagon, or saw 
wood on the street. I failed to find anything to do. 

I went to meeting on Lord's Day. J. Mad. Williams 
was the preacher. I made myself known to him, and 
through him learned that J. C. Hay was State evangelist, 
and that he lived in the city. 

Failing to make an engagement for work, I resolved I 
would apply to Bro. Hay for a place to preach. I could 
not any more than fail, and possibly I might succeed in 
the calling I had long desired to follow. I sought an in- 
terview with this brother, and found him to be a most 
genial, whole-hearted Christian gentleman, for whom I 
have ever since entertained feelings of the greatest re- 
spect. He told me of a congregation at Solon, a little 
village fifteen miles northwest of Iowa City. Here they 
had raised some money to employ a young man to preach 
for them, but for some reason he failed to take the work. 
Bro Hay gave me the name of a brother, Eben Paine, I 
believe, and requested me to write him and learn if I could 
not take the work. 

By this time my family had arrived from Dublin, Ind., 
and I rented a small house and moved in. The weather 
was extremely cold, and the snow very deep ; very much 
deeper than my pocket-book. Wood was eight dollars a 
cord, and the wolf not very far from the door. His gaunt 
and hungry form could be plainly seen as he gradually 



268 TWENTIETH CENTVRY 

dragged his dread form nearer and nearer the threshold 
of our little abiding-place. But a kind letter reached our 
humble cottage before the wolf did. It was from Bro. 
Paine, of Solon. He said, ''Bro. Wilson, come on." 
Joyous words ! Sweet invitation ! It was like a godsend 
to us. 

In the meantime 1 had arranged for an appointment at 
Marengo, a town on the C, R. I. & P. R. R., a few miles 
west of Iowa City. I went to this place and preached, or 
tried to. When I went to leave on Monday morning, a 
brother handed me a five-dollar bill. That was small, but 
I have no doubt it was all the service was worth. It was 
precious money to me. I wrote to Bro. Paine that I 
would be at Solon at the appointed time. But how was I 
to get there ? I had no conveyance, and could not afford 
to hire one. The snow was very deep, it was bitter cold, 
and I was entirely unacquainted with the road. Young 
man, how would you have gotten there ? I think many a 
one would not have gone. I walked every foot of the way. 

When I kissed my dear companion and three little 
children good-by and set out on that uncertain trip, it 
was with a sad heart. It was a lonely journey. I had 
some hopes, but they were shadowed with many fears. It 
would be "my second attempt to speak for Christ before 
the public. What kind of people would I meet ? Would 
they be satisfied with my feeble efforts? Possibly this 
was the beginning of a new life; the dawning of a 
brighter day. I could not see why it might not be. Many 
similar reflections passed through my mind as I tramped 
the road from Iowa City to Solon, which I reached in 
safety, and on good time. I was most kindly received 
into the pleasant home of Bro. Paine. His was an "old- 
fashioned country home, " the pleasantest home that God 
ever gave to man. The hospitable greeting made me feel 
that I was a partner in the enjoyments of that fireside. 
That was thirty-one years ago this January, 1902. Where 
are those dear people that entertained the stranger, not 
knowing who it was that was partaking of their hos- 
pitality ? Father and mother have both gone to heaven, 
doubtless, for they were then old. The children, I hope, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 269 

are on the road to meet them ia the sweet by and by. 
Lord's Day came, and the people came, and the preacher 
came, the most anxious one of them all. My knees 
trembled and my voice quivered. What I said I know- 
not. The people came back at night. Possibly it was 
more through sympathy that they employed me than be- 
cause they regarded it as a worthy effort. They paid me 
a reasonable sum, and I returned home a happy man. 
Through the long, cold winter, and the mud of early 
spring, I made every trip on foot save one. 

In the near future there was to be a district convention 
at West Liberty. Bro. Hay put me on the program for a 
sermon at eleven o'clock. To refuse would be a poor rec- 
ommendation for a young man who wanted a place to 
preach. To accept the place and fail before the conven- 
tion would be humiliating and fatal. Resolving to get 
into the harness at once, I accepted the place. I chose 
for my theme, "The Fellowship." I had but few helps. 
I studied hard, made the best preparation I could, and 
was ready for the "trying ordeal " when it came. The 
convention was quite well attended. Some of our repre- 
sentative men were there ; a few names I can recall: J. K. 
Cornell, J. Mad. Williams, J. C. Powell, J. C. White, J. C. 
Hay, G. Hickock, B. F. Lowery, and many more whom I 
can not now name. I was introduced to the convention, 
and delivered my harangue. As soon as the convention 
adjourned for dinner, two brethren from Columbus City 
approached, and wanted to know if all my time was taken. 
They were Dr. John Overholt, of sainted memory, and J. 
C. Powell, now of Moore, O. T. Two brethren from Pleas- 
ant Hill — James Anderson, now in heaven, I trust, and J. 
B. Morgan, since moved to Kansas — sought an interview 
with me on the same subject. 

Arrangements were made for me to preach at Colum- 
bus City in the near future, and the two brethren from 
Pleasant Hill were to be there to hear me, and if they 
thought it wise, to employ me to preach for them. I en- 
gaged with the two churches for a fourth of my time 
each, and was to begin at the latter place with a pro- 
tracted meeting. Twenty-three were added during the 



270 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

meeting. The brethren paid me twenty-five dollars, and 
I went home with a light and thankful heart. When I 
began this meeting, I had five rudely constructed and dis- 
jointed sermons. The meeting lasted about three weeks, 
including two Lord's Days. This would require twenty- 
three sermons. What do you suppose a novice did for the 
other eighteen sermons ? Made them during the day, and 
preached them at night. Don't you imagine they were 
powerful (?) sermons ? What power there was in them lay 
in the fact thai; the sermons were my own. I was myself, 
every inch of me. I did not know Sam Jones, nor Moody, 
but I knew something of Jesus, and I stayed with Him 
with all my might. The preacher was in earnest, and 
what he did preach he made plain, and he built on the 
*' one foundation. " 

When I could hardly preach a "little bit," I was in 
great demand. Now I have more than a quarter of a 
century's experience ; can preach far better than I ever 
could ; love to preach better than ever I did ; know far 
better the great needs of the church and of the world, 
and feel the weight of the responsibility resting upon me 
a thousand-fold more than I did when I was young ; but 
now the "boy " is preferred before me. The Church of 
Christ is ladened with the most fearful and far-reaching 
responsibilities of any organization on earth. Why is it, 
then, that the church, in many instances, will ignore ex- 
perience that has been long years in ripening, and which 
has brought sound wisdom, and choose the opposite ? No 
business concern on earth would prosper if it did likewise. 
The fact that the church lives and prospers under such 
"penny wise and pound foolish" guidance is the best 
proof of its divinity. 

In the spring of 1872 I moved to Brighton, la., where 
I lived for more than twenty-five years' preaching the gos- 
pel there, and in the regions round about. 

An Uncommon Coincidence. 

About forty years ago the State Meeting of the Church 
of Christ in Iowa was held at Brighton. The veteran 
N. A. McConnell was discoursing to the convention from 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 271 

the theme, **The Mystery of G-odliness. " In the midst of 
his discourse he was taken so suddenly and violently sick 
that he had to be taken from the house. Bro. N. M. 
Warren, of Columbus City, stepped into the pulpit, took 
up the line of thought where Bro. McConnell left it, and 
finished the discourse with as much completeness as if it 
had been a prearranged affair. The people were aston- 
ished at the success of what they regarded as a hazardous 
undertaking. It was the talk of the town for many days. 
Our brethren understood it and explained it to their sec- 
tarian neighbors, by telling them it was no surprise when 
once understood. The key to the "mystery " was, "Both 
men had gotten their lesson from the same book, the Bible. ' ' 

"Give 'Em Hell! " 

Once upon a time, in my early ministry, I was relating 
my experience with a congregation in my endeavors to 
get them to do right. The convention listened with 
patience as I told how I had preached, and prayed, and 
plead, and "reproved, and rebuked, and exhorted, with 
all longsuffering and doctrine," but all seemingly to no 
purpose. When I took my seat, J. Mad. Williams arose 
and said : "Bro. Wilson, I'll tell you one thing you have 
not done, and it's the thing you want to do, and that is, 
give 'em JielL'* This hot blast from our eccentric brother 
created a roar of laughter. When quiet was restored, the 
convention proceeded with the business. I never had 
the "grit," in my early ministry, to try this vigorous 
remedy. 

Years came and went. I had become hardened by long 
service, and had learned much in the school of experience. 
In my riper ministry I engaged to preach for a church all 
my time for a very little sum, because they were in debt 
on their meeting-house in the sum of about $500. I soon 
learned that the congregation was very poorly taught, and 
many of them not inclined to practice what they knew. 
They had no more respect for the bishops than they had 
for the city marshal, and some of them were not worthy of 
any more. Some cared no more for the preacher than 
they did for the janitor. They wei'e 



272 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

" Too tired for church, but could straddle a wheel, 
And ride and ride like the very old Deal." 

One of the deacons could guide an opossum hunt on 
prayer-meeting night, and things were going at loose ends 
generally. I preached and exhorted and prayed, and wept 
over the sad state of affairs. I '' reproved, rebuked and 
exhorted with all longsuffering and doctrine." I received 
abuse in return. I was treated like a dumb dog. I re- 
signed, and then I " give 'em hell. " I preached it to 
them. I wrote it to them. I printed it and sent it into 
their homes. It awoke them, as it were, from the sleep of 
death. They at once went to work and paid off all debts. 
One of the bishops said to me in a letter : "After your first 

abusive letter to M , we had a meeting and decided to 

raise enough to pay all our debts." Another bishop, so- 
called, says : "Your attack upon us came from a heart 
poisoned with hate, and filled with malevolence." The 
"abuse" and the "hate " and the "malevolence" was 
the "hell of it," you see, and brought the desired result. 
It brought the young "sauce-box" to his senses. They 
got up out of the " dirt," and went to work. Paid a long- 
standing debt of $500, when before they could not pay 
their preacher a little pittance. They paid their preacher, 
employed a new preacher for his whole time, and gave 
him a " pound supper " before he had been with them two 
weeks. The "abuse," " hate " and " malevolence " was 
the plain, unvarnished truth laid on without stint or 
measure. Thank God for such little " patches " of hell as 
we cultivated by 

" Cool Siloaui's shady rill." 

It brought forth abundantly. 

Moral. — Try everything else, and if the desired end is 
not reached, then turn the Vesuvius upon them, and " give 
'em hell." 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 273 



DID ALEXANDER CAMPBELL BUILD A 
CHURCH ? 

" Upon this rock I will build my church."— Jesits— Matt. xvi. 18. 
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is 
Jesus Christ,"— Paui— I. Cor. iii. 11. 

Uotil about 325 A. D. the Church of Christ flourished 
m spite of the fierce persecutions waged against it. Nero 
reigned over the Roman Empire from 54 to 68 A. D. He 
was an inveterate hater of the Christians. He set Rome 
on fire that he might have a pretext for punishing the 
innocent and defenseless Christians, whom he charged 
with the crime. He issued an order that caused many of 
them to be coated with tar and other combustibles, and 
tied to the lamp-posts and set on fire to light the city. 
Nero fiddled and danced while Rome burned and the 
Christians died, and he cared for none of these things. 

On February 4 the emperor Diocletian issued an order 
that all the churches be pulled down, that the Bibles be 
burned, and that all Christians be degraded from rank 
and honor. For eight years the Christians' blood was 
poured out like water. They were burned alive, beheaded, 
sawn asunder, pulled to pieces with red-hot hooks ; they 
were fed to wild beasts, and tortured in every way that 
the devilish ingenuity of men could invent. This only 
served to scatter the disciples of Christ, and they went 
everywhere preaching the Word. 

Constantine the Great became emperor of Rome, July 
25, 306. As early as 313 he granted tolerance to the 
Christians. In 325 he presided over the Nicene Council, 
which he called, and which was composed of 218 bishops 
who were summoned to settle a dispute that arose in 
Alexandria in Egypt, between two preachers, over a 
question that they were pleased to denominate the 
Trinity. The Council was in session two months, and 
rose without coming to an agreement. Constantine, 
although not interested in the theological question in- 



274 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

volved, took sides with the popular party, doubtless for 
political reasons. Arius was banished and his books were 
burned. This was the beginning of what grew to be 
another violent and bloody persecution. 

Not long after this the German tribes overran the 
Roman Empire, and its final dismemberment came in 476. 
The lights of literature and science were almost entirely 
extinguished by these vandals, and the Dark Ages began 
to spread her black wings o'er all around. 

The world's midnight came in 476, and lasted for about 
twelve hundred years. During the eleventh century learn- 
ing began to revive, but during the long, dark night that 
hung over the world, there was a period of about one 
thousand years that the common people could not read a 
word in the Bible. Rome had it printed in Latin so that 
the people could not read it, and her godless priests doled 
it out to the people as it best pleased them. It is easier 
to imagine the religious ignorance and superstition that 
would soon prevail under such rule, than it is to describe 
it. They read the catechism and discussed the most tri- 
fling and senseless questions; viz.: "How many angels 
can dance on the point of a cambric needle at the same 
time and none of them fall off ? " or, "How can light pass 
from the sun to the earth without passing through inter- 
mediate space? " 

In tlie fifteenth century printing was invented, and 
learning besjan to revive. Martin Luther was a zealous 
Catholic. One day, on his bared knees, he was climbing 
a stairway, said to have come from Pilate's judgment 
hall, the steps of which were covered with sharp pebbles. 
This was called " djing penance. " While engaged in this 
idolatrous practice, this Scripture flashed upon his mind 
like a light from heaven, "The just shall live by faith." 
He arose from his groveling worship and started out with 
a new and loftier inspiration than ever before. This 
marks the beginning of the Lutheran Reformation. This 
began in the sixteenth century. 

Luther renounced the Catholic faith and began to 
teach the people that they had as much right to read the 
Bible as the Pope, or any of the priesthood, had. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 275 

He found the Bible chained to a post, as it were, and 
sealed. He tore it loose from its Romish fastenings by 
translating it from the Latin into the German language, 
and caused it to be scattered all over Germany. This set 
the whole empire on fire with a burning thirst to read the 
Bible. God's word had been a sealed book for a thousand 
years. Perhaps there never was such a time of Bible 
reading. They perused the sacred pages with a watch at 
the window to see if the soldiers were coming, for Rome 
hunted the Bible down as she would a mad dog. Many of 
the peasants had their Bibles fastened to the under side 
of a stool, and when the watch cried out, '"The soldiers 
are coming ! the soldiers are coming !" the stool would be 
turned down and some member of the family would occupy 
it. In this way many of them kept their Bibles from be- 
ing burned, and themselves from going to prison. Luther 
assailed the corrupt practices of the Catholics with all his 
might ; this arrayed against him the fury of the Catholic 
power, which, at that time, was almost world-wide. He 
made war upon the practice of selling indulgences (see 
article on this subject elsewhere in this volume), which 
vile practice filled the coffers of the Catholic Church with 
money with which this religio- political power carried on 
its devilish work. For two dollars paid down, the priest 
would sell a man the right to tell a lie and absolve him 
from all punishment. For fifteen dollars one could pur- 
chase the right to commit adultery, and for thirty-five 
dollars Rome would sell you the right to kill a peasant, 
should he become obnoxious to you, and be forgiven of the 
crime before the deed was committed. And so on with all 
manner of crime. We are rehearsing these foul deeds 
that were practiced in the name of religion, that you may 
see how badly the world needed primitive Christianity 
restored. 

Before Luther's day, and during his eventful and useful 
life, the Inquisition, or Holy Office, as it was called, was 
doing its bloody work. It was a tribunal in the Roman 
Catholic Church for the discovery, suppression and pun- 
ishment of heresy, unbelief and other offenses against the 
Catholic faith. The officials composing this tribunal were 



276 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

appointed by the emperors, who were as cruel and vin- 
dictive as men could be. The number of victims, as stated 
by Llorente, the popular historian of the Inquisition, is 
simply appalling. He says that during the sixteen years 
of Torquemadas office, nearly nine thousand persons were 
condemned to the flames. Multitudes were hanged, im- 
prisoned for life, and tortured in every conceivable way. 

The pages of history were never stained with darker 
crimes than are justly chargeable to the Spanish Inquisi- 
tion. The massacre of the Protestants in Paris on the 
night of St. Bartholomew's day, between August 24 and 
25, 1572, at which time it is estimated that fifty thou- 
sand people were murdered in cold blood, was the most 
villainous and hellish crime ever recorded upon the 
pages of history. The gutters and sewers of the 
streets of Paris ran with blood. This was done in 
the name of religion. The Pope celebrated this awful 
event by a procession to the church of St. Louis, 
a grand Te Deum, and a proclamation of a year of 
jubilee. Was there need for a return to a purer re- 
ligion ? Was there need for some one to rise up and lead 
the world back to Jesus ? We shall see. 

Luther undertook to reform this Catholic power, that 
was so corrupt, and lost to all sense of honor and justice, 
that it could sanction the darkest and most blood-curd- 
ling crimes ever written in the calendar, if done in the 
interests of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther's mis- 
take was in endeavoring to reform a corrupt body called 
the Catholic Church, a thing unknown in all the word of 
God. He utterly failed in the accomplishment of his pur- 
pose, but did lasting good in other directions. The six- 
teenth century was the century of church-making. It was 
a great time of religious unrest. Men were hunting for 
the truth, but did not know how or where to find it. The 
Bible had been so long forgotten that it was not thought 
to contain the truth for which they sought. Men in- 
vented new theories, advanced new opinions, and held up 
their own cherished dogmas, and plead for their accept- 
ance. They gathered their followers about these new 
ideas, and organized them into a body and called it a 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 277 

church. And because the new doctrine was the doctrine 
of men, they could not present their neighbor with a 
Bible and say to him, " Here is a copy of our rules of 
faith and practice; read it an 1 you will know just what 
we believe." On the other hand, each party had to write 
out their articles of faith, which they called " a creed," 
and to which the public must go to find out what each 
particular party believed. And, what is passing strange, 
not one of their peculiar doctrines was essential to salva- 
tion. One might believe them and be saved, or disbelieve 
them and be saved. 

Henry VIII. was a zealous Catholic, but utterly devoid 
of principle. He grew tired of his wife, Catherine of 
Aragon, and plead with the Pope to be divorced from her, 
that he might marry Anne Boleyn. The Pope refused to 
annul the marriage. Henry set the Pope at defiance, and 
married Anne. The Pope excommunicated him from the 
Catholic Church. This enraged Henry and his Parlia- 
ment, and they passed an act abolishing the Pope's 
power in England, and declared Henry supreme head of the 
church. Such was the beginning of the Episcopal Church. 
It grew out of a divorce case, and Parliament made Henry 
VIII., who was an adulterer, and many times a murderer, 
the head of the church. It was well, since the head and 
the body were of the same corrupt material, and utterly 
devoid of the spirit of Christ, or of a single element that 
entered into "his body, which is the church." 

John Wesley, who lived and died a member of the 
Episcopal Church of England, labored hard to reform 
this corrupt body. The bishops were a godless set, ut- 
terly lost to all sense of piety or true devotion. He was 
striving to reform an apostate body called the church, 
that the Christ and His apostles never said a word about. 
Like Luther, he made a signal failure. He could find no 
letter in the New Testament addressed to the Episcopal 
Church. Where must he go to learn of the Episcopal 
Church, and the way into the new society? He must read 
the ' 'Thirty-nine Articles of Faith, ' ' which contain the doc- 
trines of Henry's church. The Bible knows nothing of such 



278 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

a church, hence the need of writing a new creed, that the 
world might know what this new church was, from whence 
it came, and what it believed. 

The apostasy had become so great that among all the 
religious bodies on earth there was not one that bore the 
slightest resemblance to the church of the New Testa- 
ment. The " body of Christ " was dead, and sleeping be- 
yond the gates of the grave. Will it come forth ? If it 
does, that will be proof that our Lord told the truth when 
He said to Peter, " On this rock " — referring to the con- 
fession that Peter had just made — "I will build my church, 
and the gates of hell " — Hades, or the grave — ''shall not 
prevail against it " (Matt. xvi. 18). There was no way to 
prove that the "gates of Hades " would not prevail against 
the church but for it to pass beyond these gates, and come 
forth again. Jesus said: " I will be raised again." There 
was no way for Him to prove this but to die, go into the 
grave, and come forth the third day, as He said. The 
wicked world put the Church of Christ to death as it did 
Jesus. Has it come forth from the grave as its founder 
did, thus proving its divinity, and establishing the incon- 
trovertible fact that all other churches are impostors ? 
We shall see. During all these years of apostasy, there 
was not one who knew the way back to Jerusalem. No 
man dreamed of such a thing. "Was not the Pope good 
enough for them ? " It was the time when the Spanish 
Inquisition was in the saddle, booted and spurred by every 
necessary "bull " from the Vatican to enable it to paint 
its pathway thrice red with the blood of Protestants. 

Let us turn our attention to our own beloved land and 
see what confronts us. We shall quote freely from the 
"American Church History," Vol. XII. At the close of 
the eighteenth and the opening of the nineteenth centu- 
ries, morals and religion were at a low ebb. The greatest 
immoralities prevailed without just rebuke. The Lord's 
Day was nothing, and the house of God was deserted. 
The gospel was despised, and the preachers were treated 
with scorn and contempt. "When Timothy Dwight be- 
came president of Yale College, in 1795, only four or five 
students were members of the church. The predominant 



SER^ro^^s axd addresse:^. 27d 

thought was skeptical." The College of William and 
Mary, Princeton and Transjdvania University, now Ken- 
tucky University, were hotbeds of the rankest infidelity. 
Lyman Beecher "graduated from Yale in 1797, and he 
tells us that the members of the class of 1796 were known 
to one another as Voltaire, Rousseau, D'Alembert, " etc. 
It was the general belief that the Christian religion would 
soon be cast aside as obsolete. " In 1800 only one Con- 
gregational church in Boston remained loyal to the 
faith." 

Unbelief and godless living, intemperance, drunken- 
ness and sensuality ran riot. "When a physician visited 
a patient he was offered a stimulant. At marriage, at 
birth, or at the burial of the dead, drinking was indulged 
in. A pastor in New York City, as late as 1820, has left 
on record a statement that it was difficult to make 
pastoral visits for a day without becoming, in a measure, 
intoxicated. . . . The Rev. Daniel Dorchester, D.D., 
quotes a minister of this period as saying that he could 
reckon up among his acquaintances forty ministers who 
were either drunkards, or so far addicted to the use of 
strong drink that their usefulness was impaired." 

The Rev. Peter Cartright was born in 1785. ''He 
testifies that the state of society in southern Kentucky, 
where he spent his youth, was desperate. Lawlessness 
prevailed. Such was the disregard for religion in this 
commonwealth at one time that the services of a chaplain 
in the State Legislature were dispensed with." 

"For three years during the Revolutionary War, 
Princeton College was closed. For a period of forty 
years, or from 1770 to 1810, there was no such interest in 
the gospel as could properly be called a revival. There 
were but two professors of religion among the students 
in 1782." 

Almost the whole of New England, eastern New York, 
and the Middle States were exempt from any special 
religious interest for about seventy-five years. Pages 
might be multiplied in narrating the wretched state of 
morals and religion to which the people had been reduced. 
French infidelity was above par. It had been brought 



280 TWENTIETH CENTmt 

over by Lafayette's soldiers, and during the eight years' wai* 
it took deep root and bore a bountiful but bitter harvest. 

Now that we have the state of society from the begin- 
ning of the Dark Ages to the dawning of 1800, fully before 
the reader, we may begin the study of the question ; viz.: 
How did anybody, through this maze of darkness con- 
fusion and ignorance of Bible teaching, ever get back to 
the "ancient order of things " ? Who was it that set the 
compass of divine truth before the people, so that with 
unerring precision it pointed to Jerusalem as the begin- 
ning corner ? We shall presently see. 

As early as 1782 in Scotland, and 1792 in America, men 
began to tire of human creeds. The religious confusion 
became painful. They began to seek for relief. They 
naturally turned to the Bible. The more they read, the 
more they became convinced that the New Testament 
knew nothing of but one church, the Church of Christ, 
and that the various religious orders to which they be- 
longed were all wrong and existed without any divine 
warrant. 

There seemed to be a simultaneous rising up of this 
thought in different parts of the world, and in the begin- 
ning each party was ignorant of the fact that any other 
party was entertaining the same thoughts. As they 
became acquainted with each other, they 'opened up cor- 
respondence to learn of each other's purposes and views. 
On March 1, 1818, the Church of Christ worshiping in 
New York caused a circular letter to be written and sent 
to all of whom they could learn, who seemed to be "of 
the same faith and order ' ' with themselves. The preamble 
to the letter was as follows: "The church professing 
obedience to the faith of Jesus Christ, assembling together 
in N. York ; To the Churches of Christ scattered over the 
earth, to whom this communication may come — Grace, 
mercy, and peace be multiplied from God the Father, by 
the Holy Spirit, through our Lord Jesus Christ." Then 
follows a detailed description of what they believed and 
practiced as church ordinances, and their manner of wor- 
ship on the Lord's Day. One item we will quote : " We 
require that all whom we receive into fellowship should 



J^ERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 281 

believe in their heart, and confess with their mouth, that 
Jesus is the Christ ; that He died for our sins according 
to the Scriptures ; and that upon such confession, and 
such confession only, they should be baptized." 

They received replies from the churches in Glasgow, 
Edinburgh, Tubermore, Manchester and Dublin. Each 
church carefully described its faith and practice. The 
faith of one was the faith of all. There were some ninor 
differences in the practice, but these were not magnified 
into tests of fellowship. These different bodies were one 
brotherhood, bound together by one common bond of 
union, the New Testament. The New York brethren 
said: "There are scattered over this continent a few 
small societies who have conformed in part to the sim- 
plicity of the apostolic faith and practice." We shall 
note a few of them, quoting from the "American Church 
History." 

"The first churches planted and organized since the 
grand apostasy, with the Bible as the only creed, or 
church book, and the name ' Christian ' as the only family 
name, were organized in Kentucky in the year 1804. Of 
these. Cane Ridge was the first. . . . The Rev. James 
O'Kelley was a member of the General Conference of the 
M. E. Church in 1792. He made an ineffectual effort to 
secure a modification of the power of the bishops in the 
appointment of preachers. The next morning after his 
failure, he and a number who were in sympathy with 
him," withdrew from the conference, organized them- 
selves into a body, took the name "Christian," and the 
Bible as their only rule of faith and practice. 

"Abner Jones was a member of the Regular Baptist 
Church inHartland, Vt. He had a peculiar trend of mind 
in regard to sectarian names and human creeds. In the 
year 1800 he gathered a church of twenty-five members 
in the town of Lyndon in Vermont. In 1802 a church was 
organized in Bradford, same State, on the Bible only, and 
in 1803 another came into existence in Piermount, 
N. H." 

Several other ministers among the Regular and Free 
Baptists adopted the same views in regard to creeds and 



282 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

denominations, and were satisfied with the Bible only, as 
a book of discipline. Thus, both in Europe and America, 
this work began. In its inception the authors of these 
little but sisrnificant movements, and their work, were 
entirely unknown to each other. They were seeking after 
better things than could be found in any of the existing 
religious bodies. " Sick of the animosities and controver- 
sies between rival sects, and disgusted with the petty dif- 
ferences which occasioned alienation and strife, they were 
seeking for common ground on which all could unite with- 
out any sacrifice of truth ; and having decided that the 
Scriptures alone, without note or comment, furnished 
such a basis, they felt it their duty to urge this truth upon 
the people. They were drifting away from the well- 
known shores and landmarks of their own religious sys- 
tems, into the broad ocean of divine truth. In 1809, in 
western Pennsylvania, an association was formed for the 
purpose of promoting the union of Christians upon com- 
mon ground. We quote the first resolution: ' That we 
form ourselves into a religious association under the de- 
nomination of "The Christian Association of Washing- 
ton," for the sole purpose of promoting simple, evangeli- 
cal Christianity, free from all mixture of human opinions 
and inventions of men.' This association was sanctioned 
by the brightest preaching talent of several denomina- 
tions. It was distinctly understood that this was not a 
move to organize a new church. They had come to be- 
lieve that there were already too many churches. They 
met frequently to engage in a friendly discussion of their 
differences, with a view of getting nearer together, and, 
if possible, upon the same platform. As they advanced, 
they improved upon their methods until they decided to 
appoint one of their number to arrange a carefully pre- 
pared address to be read at the next meeting, setting 
forth what in his mind was the most feasible plan for the 
union of all denominations. This paper was to be sharply 
discussed. Thomas Campbell, a man of great learning 
and piety, a Presbyterian of the Seceder order, lately 
from Ireland, wa ; chosen to make an address. It was pre- 
pared at great pains and was a ringing paper, setting 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 283 

forth, in the clearest and most convincing light, the teach- 
ings of God's truth on the unity of the church. He closed 
his address with an unheard-of statement. Its simplicity 
was marvelous, for it seemed like a voice from on high. 
This was his concluding sentence : * That rule, my highly 
respected hearers, is this : Where the Scriptures speak, we 
speah ; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.' Upon 
this annunciation, a solemn silence pervaded the assem- 
bly. Never before had religious duty been presented to 
them in so simple a form. Never before had the great 
principles on which this religious enterprise rested been 
so clearly presented to their minds. It was to many of 
them a new revelation. . . . Henceforth the plain and 
simple teachings of the word of God itself was to be their 
guide. ... It was some time after Mr. Campbell sat 
down, to afford opportunity to those present to give, as he 
had requested, a free and candid expression of their views, 
before any one presumed to break the silence. At length, 
a shrewd Scotch Seceder, Andrew Munro, . . . rose and 
said : ' Mr. Campbell, if we adopt that as a basis, there is 
an end of infant baptism.' This remark, and the convic- 
tion it seemed to carry with it, produced a profound sen- 
sation. 'Of course,' said Mr. Campbell, in reply, 'if in- 
fant baptism be not found in the Scriptures, we can have 
nothing to do with it. ' 

"When Mr. Campbell made this statement, he uncon- 
sciously struck a blow that swept away one of the long- 
cherished doctrines of Presbyterianism, yet he had no 
thought of disturbing anybody's views on the subject of in- 
fant baptism. By this time, Thomas Campbell's son, Alex- 
ander, became deeply interested in the religious questions 
that were agitating the people. In discussing his father's 
address with Rev. Mr. Riddle, of the Presbyterian Union 
Church, Mr. Riddle said: ' These words, however plausible 
in appearance, are not sound, for if you follow these out 
you must become a Baptist.' 'Why, sir,' said Alexander, 
'is there in the Scriptures no express precept nor pre- 
cedent for infant baptism?' 'Not one, sir,' replied the 
Doctor. Alexander was startled and mortified that he 
could not produce one. " He went to the principal book 



2^4 TWilNTlETit CEm^VRY 

store in Canonsburg, Pa., and ordered every treatise in 
favor of infant baptism. When these books came to his 
home he sat down to a patient and careful reading upon 
this subject. The more he read, the less ground he found 
for infant baptism. He was surprised at the weakness of 
the Pedobaptist arguments. From their false reasonings 
and assumptions he turned away in disgust. With con- 
fidence in the strength of the doctrine, he took up his 
Greek New Testament expecting to find something more 
convincing, but this only made th3 matter worse. He 
could find no Greek lexicon that defined the Greek word 
haptizo by sprinkle or pour, and every allusion to baptism 
in the Greek New Testament made it clear that only be- 
lievers were baptized. Further investigation made it 
clear to him that only believers were proper subjects of 
baptism. He was now fully convinced that sprinkling 
was wholly unauthorized, and hence he was an unbaptized 
person. He could not long delay carrying out his convictions 
of duty. At once arrangements were made to obey what 
he had found to be a positive divine command. Accord- 
ingly, on the 12th of June, 1812, Alexander Campbell and 
his wife, his father, mother and sister, upon the New 
Testament confession that "Jesus Christ is the Son of 
God," were, by Elder Luce, of the Baptist Church, im. 
mersed into Jesus Christ. 

It was not long until the Brush Run Church was com- 
posed, almost entirely, of immersed believers. So 
mightily grew the word of God and prevailed that large 
numbers of the people became obedient to the faith, and 
many sectarian churches almost to a member turned to 
the Lord. The preaching of the primitive gospel ; the 
immersion of penitent believers for the remission of sins, 
upon the Scriptural confession of faith in Jesus as the 
Christ ; the observing of the Lord's Supper every first 
day of the week ; the proclamation of the Jerusalem gos- 
pel to the sinful world, without amendment or alteration, 
and living godly lives in Christ Jesus, was, to all intents 
and purposes, the Restoration of the Ancient Order of Things. 
It was a return to the " Old Paths " for which the faithful 
few had been seeking for years. 



J^ERMONS AND ADDkES&E^. 285 

From the time of the meeting of the little bands of 
disciples at Glasgow, Dublin, New York, et al., to the 
present time, it was not the purpose to reform the exist- 
ing religious bodies. After all of Luther's labor to reform 
the Roman Catholic Church, it remained the same un- 
authorized institution. Wesley's effort to reform the 
Episcopal Church failed to correct the unscriptural thing. 
You may reform sectarianism as much as you please, and 
it is sectarianism still. Alexander Campbell and his co- 
laborers saw the mistake of the reformers, and, like wise 
men, refused to commit the same blunder. Men had arisen 
speaking perverse things, and had drawn away the church 
after them. They had departed from the faith. They had 
giv^n heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. 
Their ears had been turned unto fables. The Campbells 
and their compeers deemed it a much greater work to 
restore what God had built, but the wickedness of the world 
had torn down and trampled on, than to undertake to 
reform something that the hand of God had never touched. 
Hence they plead for a return to the ancient and apostolic 
order of things, when there was but one church, and that 
the body of Christ, with the New Testament as its only 
rule of faith and practice. 

Backward, beyond Wesley, Calvin or Luther ; back- 
ward and beyond the Nicene Creed ; back to Jerusalem, 
and to the first Pentecost after the resurrection, and take 
the first lesson in the art of restoring the church, " begin- 
ning at Jerusalem." With these brave men, going back- 
ward, was a forward movement. They did not presume to 
build a church ; there were too many churches already ; 
neither did they claim the right to build the church. They 
knew that Christ had built the church in the first century, 
and until the fourth century it was one united body, and 
it took the world for Christ. They would be content to 
lead the people back to that same unity in Christ. They 
would be instruments, under God, for the resurrection of 
the church from the slumber of ages. To this end they 
bent every energy. For this joyous consummation, they 
most devoutly prayed and preached until they could with 
joy and rapture point the world to the same church that 



286 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

existed in the days of the apostles. " His body, which is 
the church," raised from the dead. Its identity was per- 
fect in every particular, in foundation, in faith, in preach- 
ing and practice. When compared with the New Testa- 
ment church, there was not a shade of difference. It was 
the "Church of Christ," and not another. Not a human 
institution, built upon the doctrines and commandments 
of men, but the "general assembly and church of the first- 
born," restored to its original simplicity by the sublime 
teaching of the New Testament, which contains the con- 
stitution of the "kingdom of God's dear Son." It was 
not a new sect or denomination, it was the thing itself — 
the Church of Christ. Try it by the standard, and see if it 
does not stand the severest test. It was not an old sect 
reformed and revamped, and set up anew on Luther's, 
Calvin's, King Henry's or Wesley's creed, but built upon 
the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
himself being the chief corner-stone, with the Jerusalem 
proclamation for its rule of faith and practice. 

No man can successfully claim that the word of God is 
the standard of a party. Then if the divine word be not 
the standard of a party, they were not a party, for they 
adopted no other; and hence we are not a sect or party, 
for we have adopted no other. No, sir! Alexander Camp- 
bell did not build a church. He, and a number of far-see. 
ing men, were not able to find the church of the New 
Testament among all the religious bodies of the world. 
They found, upon a careful investigation, that the body of 
Christ had been buried beneath the ecclesiastical rubbish 
of ages. They found that men lost faith in divine things 
because the Bible had become a sealed book, and hence it 
was lost to the people. They did not believe that the 
religious confusion that existed was chargeable to the 
Bible, but to the crude, infidel and sectarian ideas of men. 
True, Luther restored the Bible when he translated it into 
•the German language, but he failed to teach the people 
how to use it, and, unaided, they did not understand much 
of what they read, and there was no man to guide them. 
Calvin labored to restore God, who had been dethroned by 
the Pope. Wesley's aim was to restore piety in the 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 287 

Episcopal Church. It will be a sad day for the church 
when she shall lose her piety. Campbell taught the 
people how to read the Bible; that God was our only 
rightful sovereign, and that the li'e of the church depended 
upon the piety and devotion of her members. Campbell's 
work looked forward to a complete restoration of the 
** ancient order of things, "from turret to foundation 
stone. '' Speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent 
where the Bible is silent," and sectarianism will vanish, 
and denominationali^m will die under the mild reign of 
the Prince of peace, as His cause had died under the cruel 
and bloody rule of the " mother of harlots. " 

An illustration. — Suppose that fifty years ago, a man 
had come to your town and established a lodge of Masons 
and left them in complete working order. The town grows 
to be a city. You are standing on one of the principal 
corners, and you see an aged man, leaning upon his staff, 
his white locks floating in the morning breeze, as he ap- 
proaches you. He introduces himself and politely asks 
you to tell him where the Masonic Lodge meets. You 
point to a large building across the way, and say, "One 
lodge meets in that building ; four blocks south another 
lodge meets ; " and, pointing to the east, " six blocks " — 
"Pause," says the Masonic patriarch; "you misunder- 
stand me ; I wish to know where the Freemasons of this 
city meet ; there is but one order of the kind in the world. 
For convenience, there is a local organization in this city. 
Where does it meet?" "Some years ago, father, the 
lodge that you organized had trouble, and a few drew off 
and organized another lodge ; then another faction split 
off and they organized, and so on until we now have some 
eight or ten different lodges in this town. " The aged man 
listens with deep emotion, while tears trickle down his 
furrowed cheeks. He says : " What a shame, what a 
burning shame, that our noble order should be so dis- 
graced. Can you not call these factions together at some 
place, that I may talk to them of the importance of their 
return to the parent order ? " "I will gladly do this, and 
to-morrow night we will meet in the City Auditorium to 
hear your earnest plea." The hour arrives, and the 



288 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Masons of every sect and party come. The patriarch pic- 
tures to them, in glowing terms, their wretched plight, 
and pleads with them to throw down their petty differ- 
ences, which is no part of Masonry, and return to the true 
and accepted and ancient order of Masons. To this they 
all agree. They lay aside their peculiar notions that have 
separated them ; they agree to speak where Masonry 
speaks, and to be silent where Masonry is silent. This 
builds them together into one body, and upon the one 
foundation where they stood in the beginning, and until 
there were factions in the body. Question : Did the 
aged man organize a lodge of Masons the second time he 
visited the town? Certainly not. What did he do? 
Nothing more nor less than restore Masonry to its original 
place, and upon the one foundation where it stood before 
there was any breaking away from the ancient landmarks. 
When his labors attending his second visit were ended, 
there was just one lodge of Masons, as at the beginning. 

Such was the trend of the labors of Alexander Camp- 
bell and his co-workers. Wherever the people would 
accept the New Testament plea, of which they were the 
heralds, sectarianism was made to tremble, and hide its 
ugly form. No religious work has grown like this since 
the great Pentecost. Our plea is that the scattered and 
disordered fragments of a once glorious church may be re- 
united as it was in the beginning, that the Saviour's 
prayer in John xvii. may be answered, that the world may 
be turned to Christ. This cause, that was despised and 
rejected of men, like the Christ, and hooted at by the 
rabble, and spit upon by the low, and laughed at by the 
coward, has grown to be a million and a quarter strong, 
controlling 11,823 organizations, having 8,858 Sunday- 
schools, 7,047 ministers, church property valued at $20,^ 
182,291, 20 educational institutions, and 48 religious peri- 
odicals. 

Conclusion. 

There are many persons who know but little, if any. 
thing, of Alexander Campbell and his work. Some know 
so little as to think he was the founder of what they con- 
temptuously, or ignorantly, call the Campbellite Church. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 289 

There are some who care to know no better, and only 
wish that it were true. Of this number, I am sorry to 
say there are not a few who write Rev. in front of their 
names. These lines are not printed for such, but for the 
honest seeker after truth. In 1816 Mr. Campbell preached 
his memorable sermon on the law, in which he took 
the ground that the law of Moses was abrogated, that 
we are under a new covenant, and that the Church of 
Christ was set up on the first Pentecost after the resur- 
rection. 

This was regarded by many as rank heresy. The Bap- 
tist Church, with which he stood identified, instituted pro- 
ceedings looking to his excommunication, but were foiled 
in their undertaking. 

To-day these doctrines are recognized as Scriptural by 
the leading minds of Protestant pulpits. Geo. R. Wend- 
ling, in his matchless lecture on Christianity, speaks of 
the church as being founded on Pentecost. Prest. Charles 
A. Briggs takes the same view. Prof. Philip Schaff, 
Presbyterian, and author of a standard church history, 
takes the same ground, and many more. The reason Mr. 
Campbell was not more appreciated was because he was 
about seventy-five years ahead of the times. In 1829 Robert 
Owen, the great English infidel, landed at New Orleans and 
traveled to Pittsburg, challenging the pulpits to a defense 
of their faith. Sectarianism, with its polished scholars and 
college-bred theologians, was as still as death. And when 
it seemed that the infidel would return to England with 
victory inscribed upon his banner, Mr. Campbell stepped 
into the arena, and with nothing but the word of God to 
aid him, he so discomfited the infidel that in the conclu- 
sion of the debate he failed to respond, and gave Mr. C. 
his time, which he used in a twelve hours' speech in defense 
of the religion of the Bible. It is the most masterly 
production to be found in the English language. 

In 1836 Roman Catholicism vaunted herself, as being, 
the mother of us all, and Mr. C. was chosen as the man 
capable of showing that the Church of Christ was superior 
to Romanism, and Archbishop Purcell found in Mr. C. a 
foeman worthy of his steel. 



290 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

The Legislature of what great States ever adjourned 
their busy sessions to hear a man preach the gospel? 
Pennsylvania and Virginia ; and the man was Mr. Camp- 
bell. The Congress of what great nation laid aside its 
arduous work to listen to a man preach the truth ? The 
Congress of the United States, and the man was Mr. 
Campbell. The Supreme Court of' a great nation whose 
flag no power on earth dare to insult, once adjourned. 
The judges laid aside their sacerdotal robes and took their 
seats in the auditorium to hear a man preach the gospel of 
God's Son. That was the Supreme Court of the United 
States, and the man was Alexander Campbell. What 
other man was ever so highly honored ? 

Mr. Campbell was the greatest Biblical exegete of his 
age, and the present time can not furnish his equal. The 
young preacher who does not possess a copy of *'Th3 
Christian Baptist," '' The Christian System," and "Pop- 
ular Lectures," by A. Campbell, is short a rare prize 
that no other books can furnish him. I heartily commend 
them to every Bible btudent. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 291 



A FORWARD MOVEMENT. 

The Need of It All Along the Line. 

" Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward."— Ex. 
xiv. 15. 

Sometimes it is a perilous undertaking for a general 
to move his entire line of battle forward in the face of the 
enemy. The foe is upon chosen ground, and fortified, and 
prepared to resist in front and to throw a heavy force 
upon the flanks of the advancing army as soon as it shall 
be moved from its hiding. General Meade's line of brave 
boys in blue at Gettysburg was about eight miles long. 
To have ordered a simultaneous '^forward'' of this entire 
line, would, doubtless, have resulted in its sure and disas- 
trous defeat. There were huge rocks, and deep and 
rugged ravines, tangled wood and towering hills, impas- 
sable for artillery, and in front of which there was no 
shelter from the murderous fire of the enemy's well- 
directed guns. The sequel of the battle in which fifty 
thousand men were mown down in that mighty harvest 
of death, proves the wisdom of the Union generals in 
sticking to its well-chosen position and delivering its 
murderous fire into the ranks of the enemy from its stone 
breastworks. 

But our warfare is not with flesh and blood, but 
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers 
of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness 
in high places. (Eph. vi. 12.) In view of this, we are 
commanded to put on the whole armor of God. This 
command presupposes a conflict, and gives us a clear 
view of the importance of the work, and how much 
depends upon the success of the Lord's army. The 
safest plan of battle for God's army is for the who;e 
line to move forward at one time. His army does not 
have to leave its stronghold, the Bible, in order to 
move upon the enemy, but its breastworks are movable, 
and are always in every conflict, and move when the army 



292 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

moves. Every victory is ascribed to the impregnable 
fortress, God's truth, from which the struggle is waged. 

He who leaves God's citadel, and erects one of his own, 
from which to carr}'- out his own plan of battle, is sure to 
suffer an inglorious defeat. He who will not put on the 
armor as the general directs, will be likely to be cut down 
in the battle of life. The message of the faithful preacher 
is the message of God, and should be endorsed by every 
disciple. This must be true, since our book of tactics is 
the New Testament, which contains the constitution of the 
kingdom of our Lord and His Christ. Sharp reports from 
the skirmish-line will cause some commotion in camp, and 
it is well, since all will get ready for what may prove to 
be a general engagement. So the simple truth, earnestly 
proclaimed, may cause some agitation among the idle and 
indifferent, and threaten for a time to turn things upside- 
down ; but there are times when agitation is the only sal- 
vation, and when upsidedown is right side up. 

Positive preaching is the only kind that ever amounts 
to much. If we take Jesus and the primitive preachers for 
our guide, we will never indulge in any other kind. They 
never did. Jesus never said " Maybe so," "I guess so," 
"I think so," "It is my opinion it is so." The state- 
ment was always positive, clean-cut, aod to the point. 
Flowers are nice things, but not for dinner when a man 
is hungry. Speculation and theory are interesting to the 
idle, the curious and the thoughtless ; but never to the 
soul conscious of its needs of God, and longing to be at 
peace with Him. Such an one is anxious to go forward. 
Tired of lingering around the dead past, he is longing, 
hungering and thirsting after the teachings of the Holy 
Spirit. The living present is not enough for him unless it 
be replete with vital truths and facts, to be believed and 
obeyed, such as send the Lord's army forward to victory 
along the whole line. A great man was once asked, 
<'What is it that will defy the devil, and cause the bitter- 
est persecution?" His answer was, "The gospel faith- 
fully preached." 

On dress parade the army is a beautiful sight. In the 
rifle-pits, red with gore, it is hell itself. The Lord's army 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 293 

has no time to go on dress parade. It must always be in 
the rifle-pits, red with the fire of God's eternal truth, from 
end to end. Those who would always be on dress parade 
are worthless camp followers, are a constant annoyance to 
the army, and a positive detriment to the cause. They 
want their ears tickled with smooth things. They want a 
preacher who sends everybody home with an easy con- 
science. " Let's have no contention ; give us more parade, 
more pomp and show. " ''Let the church alone ; it's doing 
well enough." ''Give us fine pulpit oratory; that will 
draw the crowd, and recruits will come flocking into the 
' army of the Lord '. " Yes, but what will they be worth 
when they come ? We have too many hangers-on now ; ir- 
responsible camp followers, who acknowledge allegiance 
to nobody ; will bear no word of reproof, but would re. 
buke the white-headed preacher if he should presume for 
one moment to point out duty. 

The early preachers were not learned men, but they ad- 
ministered the word of God with such earnestness and 
power that they made the world tremble. They kept God's 
army of patriots in line of battle all the time, and it was a 
constant and ever-glorious forward movement from flank 
to flank. They loved the old Jerusalem gospel, they were 
not afraid to preach it. They were afraid ?7o^ to preach it. 
"Woe is me if I preach not the gospel," was the senti- 
ment that deeply concerned them. They paused not be- 
fore any auditor ; they trembled not before any throne, 
save the throne of God. They surrendered to no foe. The 
Lord was their Captain, and they never lost a battle while 
ordering the battle as He directed. 

Paul's old pulpit on Mar's Hill has crumbled and fallen 
to pieces, but the truth that he preached therefrom shook 
the whole continent of Europe, and started a flame that lit 
up the African skies. It crossed the Arabian deserts and 
penetrated the jungles of India. It climbed the Himalayas 
and invaded the Celestial Empire. It was the gospel that 
was the power of God, that did and will take the world for 
Christ. The men who preached it were men of convic- 
tions, deep and abiding. They were men of unfaltering 
faith ; of unswerving integrity to the truth of God. The 



294 TWENTIETH CENTVRY 

converts .they made were converted to Jesus, and not to 
the preacher. Under their preaching the "Lord added 
unto the church daily the saved," and this gospel-con- 
verted and truth-loving and holy-living church was a 
power wherever its forward movements carried it. There 
was no weak-kneed hireling then who was afraid to preach 
on baptism, and dared not to rebuke the sins of the people 
for fear the cash receipts would be cut down. To-day it is 
common to hear it said, "Don't preach on baptism; 
everybody understai.ds our plea." 

I went to a place once with a view to engaging with 
the church. In the board meeting, a would-be bishop, 
who knows about as much about church work as he does 
about building a hornet's nest, said, "I don't think we 
need any preaching on the subject of baptism." Calling 
the preacher to take charge of the church, "but he must 
ask me how." You are the preacher, but "I am here to 
tell you what to preach, and how long." This is one of 
the hindering causes in our forward movement. We have 
so many bishops who are little better than sticks. They 
don't do anything right, because they don't know how, 
and they will not let the preacher, who does know, tell 
them. It is a puzzle to know, if the people understand 
our plea, why they don't accept it, since we do not ask 
them to do anything for which we can not find a thus 
saith the Lord, a precedent, or an example. There is 
nothing else for them to do. The fact is the world does 
7iot know the New Testament plea. 

And more, we have some good brethren who are afraid 
to emphasize our teaching that so sharply distinguishes 
us from the denominations around us, for fear of offending 
some tender ones who occasionally drop in through curi- 
osity to hear what the " Campbellites have to say." 
"Don't preach about the errors in the lives of the mem- 
bers; that's scolding." Paul commanded Timothy to 
"reprove, and rebuke, and exhort," but you must not do 
this now ; it's scolding. Times have changed, and im- 
provements have been made, and what the Holy Spirit 
called reproving and rebuking, is now called ''^roasting 
the people." 



Si:nMONS AND ADDRESSES. 295 

The Book is full of corrections. Read Christ's fearful 
arraignment of the seven churches in Asia, and Paul's 
merciless castigation of the church at Corinth, and do not 
forget that the preacher is commanded to follow the 
example of those who, Spirit-guided, would correct the 
errors of the church, purify the body of Christ, and send 
it forward with multiplied power. Some ministers are 
glib of tongue when discussing generalities, but abso- 
lutely tongue-tied in regard to the practical sins of the 
pews. And, as a rule, they do not have the respect of 
the sinner. And they ought not to have. The man who 
is an officer in the army, and is afraid to follow his com- 
mander, or go where he directs, is unworthy the respect 
of the most inferior man in the ranks. 

How the truth of this is multiplied when applied to 
the church. When a forward move is ordered all along 
the line, the first and the worst barrier you encounter is 
worldliness in the church. ' ' Crucifying the Son of God afresh, 
and putting him to an open shame." The two thieves 
between which the cause of Christ suffers to-day, are, 
commercialism and indifferentism. The desire for money 
quenches the fire of gospal enthusiasm. Christ teas put 
to death by His enemies ; to-day, He is being crucified by 
His friends. And the cruel crown of thorns that wounded 
His brow, and the rude spikes that fastened Him to the 
Roman cross, are more painful, and strike deeper into the 
heart to-day, than they did during the three awful hours 
that the bleeding, dying Lamb hung on the cross. Once 
I was punished by enemies, and starved in the loathsome 
prison-pen where they confined me. I could grit my 
teeth and bear it all, and say, "Do your level best, you 
vile traitors ; my proud republic will live and flourish 
long after yours is forgotten. You may starve me to 
death, but you can't starve Uncle Sam." I was as proud 
as a king, and as defiant as the devil. But how changed 
when my friend turned against me. I was humbled. I 
felt a dagger go to my heart. I suffered more than I did in 
the rebel prison. So Christ suffers infinitely more at the 
hands of His pretended friends than He did from the 
cruel mockings and scourgings of the howling mob that 



296 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

murdered Him. Indifference to tlie cause that must save 
us, if we are saved at all, is the most discouraging thing 
of which we have any knowledge. We copy from Briney's 
Monthly on this theme: 

No student of existing conditions in the religious 
world can fail to note the manifest indifference to ques- 
tions and interests of a religious character, that prevails 
everywhere. This indifference is not confined to irreligious 
people — people who make no pretensions to Christianity ; 
but it pervades the church, and paralyzes the energies of 
those who claim to be followers of Christ. There are so 
many unmistakable evidences of this that specifications 
are scarcely necessary. There is hardly any worldly in- 
terest that is made secondary to the interests of the cause 
of Christ, by the professed disciples of the Master. This 
is the explanation of the idea that prevails so generally, 
to the effect that a Presidential year is not a good year 
for protracted meetings, or other special work for the 
advancement of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. It 
meaus that church people put the mere matter of what 
political party shall administer the affairs of the G-overn- 
ment for four years, above the interests of God's govern- 
ment in the world ; and so it comes to pass. And as it is 
with political interests, so it is with every other worldly 
interest. 

This widespread and deep-seated indifference is not an 
inexplicable phenomenon. It has come about according 
to the operation of the inexorable laws of cause and effect. 
The tree that is bearing this Sodom-apple fruit has roots 
that run back into the past quite a distance, and entwine 
themselves with many things from which they are drawing 
nourishment for the bitter fruit which they are producing. 
It is the business of the student of history to ferret these 
things out and bring causes and effects together, and read 
the present in the light of the past. We believe that we 
can locate and name at least some of the prominent factors 
that have conspired to produce the undeniable lukewarm- 
ness that has spread its fearful blight in every direction ; 
and we ask a patient hearing while we attempt to diagnose 
the case. We kindly and earnestly invite our brethren of 
the press to co-operate with us in this work, for we regard 
it as a matter of prime importance. 

We believe indifference to doctrine to be the taproot of 
the evil complained of, and we can very well remember 
when it sprouted. We can readily recall the time when 
communities were ablaze with interest and doctrine, and 
people would assemble in crowds from distant parts of the 
country to hear preachers expound the various views that 



S£:iiMONS AND ADDRESSES. 297 

were held by different religious bodies. Many of them 
carried their Bibles with them, and would mark passages 
used as proof-texts, for future examination. Neighbors 
would meet together and search the Scriptures to see if 
the sermon of the Lords Day before was according to the 
oracles of God. Men, women and children read and 
studied the Bible, and were astonishingly familiar with its 
contents, as many a doughty preacher discovered to his 
sorrow. People did not care to listen to a preacher who 
did not teach them something — who did not bring them 
some good, wholesome, sound doctrine. People who are 
acquainted with the stirring events of those early times 
know how whole communities were aroused and revolu- 
tionized by the doctrinal preaching that was done by the 
sturdy preachers of that day. It was preaching that 
awakened people to thought and investigation, and pro- 
duced convictions that were as steadfast as the everlasting 
hills, and under its influence people moved unfalteringly 
and by a straight line to the goal that was set before 
them. 

Mere sentimentalism did not count for much in those 
days, and latitudinarianism was away down below par. 
People demanded a reason for the plea that was presented 
to them, and a reason that rested upon the solid founda- 
tion of the word of God. What say the Scriptures ? was 
uppermost in the minds of those who assembled to listen 
to the sermon, and they knew when the preacher departed 
from the teaching of ' ' the Book. ' ' They fed upon doc- 
trine, and grace and peace were multiplied to them through 
the knowledge of God. They understood that spiritually 
man must live upon the word of the Lord, and they wanted 
that in its purity and simplicity. They had very little use 
for, or patience with, human opinions and philosophies, 
knowing that these things did not cause them to grow in 
grace and in the knowledge of the Lord. Men plowed 
with New Testaments in their pockets, and while their 
horses rested, they fed upon the sincere milk of divine 
truth. Women sat at their spinning-wheels with the 
Bible open before them, and would frequently glance at 
the sacred page and catch therefrom words that glowed 
with some great thought, and meditated thereupon as they 
continued their daily rounds of labor. Thus was toil 
lightened, sweetened and sanctified, both in the field and 
in the house, and intelligent faith was cultivated and 
strengthened. People knew what they believed and why 
they believed it. 

The doctrinal preaching of those days dealt with both 
truth and error, setting forth the former and pointing out 
the latter with clearness and force. It is often the case 



298 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

that truth is 'seen to the very best advantage in contrast 
with error ; and it frequently happens that people who 
hold error will not consider the claims of anything else, 
till they are made sensible of the fact that their belief is 
wrong. Our preachers of the daj'^s of which we write 
were not only mighty in their advocacy of truth, but they 
were adepts in the art of unmasking error, and they did 
not hesitate to do either. When they found the minds of 
the people full of false doctrine, they saw their first duty 
to be to empty these vessels of their present contents, and 
they had the courage of their convictions. They would 
turn the search-light of the truth of God upon the errors 
that were current, and show that they were out of har- 
mony with the plain teaching of the Scriptures, and hurt- 
ful to those who held them. '' Total hereditary deprav- 
ity, " " special atonement, " " election and foreordination, ' ' 
"justification by faith alone," ''the final perseverance of 
the saints," " direct operation of the Holy Spirit in con- 
version," " special divine call to the ministry," etc., were 
prominent items of faith and were insisted upon by sec- 
tarian preachers. Such teaching tended to render the 
gospel powerless, and caused the word of G-od to be looked 
upon and treated as a '' dead letter. " It was thought and 
taught that a sinner had to be regenerated and made alive 
by the Spirit of God before he could receive the word of 
the Lord. All this rubbish had to be cleared away, and 
the people brought to see that these dogmas were simply 
the doctrines of men, and made void the teachings of 
Christ and the apostles. Our preachers realized this, and 
hence much of their preaching was iconoclastic. The 
plants which God had not planted had to be plucked up 
because they encumbered the ground. 

If the preacher should order a forward movement, 
some will fall out of the ranks to dance, or play cards ; 
some to go to the play, or to the beloved lodge ; some 
must go on a visit or buggy-ride, and by the time all the 
worldly attractions are attended to, the discouraged 
preacher can barely muster a decent company to aid him 
in carrying on the Lord's work. What a shameful spec- 
tacle for the world to behold. And how it does preach. 
A forward movement ordered and the Lord's army can 
not move. Swamped down in the muck and mire of 
worldly-mindedness, and the world stands by and laughs 
at the dire calamity. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 299 

General Burnside once undertook to move his arnay 
in front of Fredericksburg, in the spring of the year, and 
in the face of the enemy. He found the mud so deep that 
he retired the army to its camping-ground. The enemy's 
pickets on the opposite side of the Rappahannock saw 
the failure and enjoyed it as a good joke. They painted a 
sign in large letters, and put it upon a post in plain sight 
of our pickets: ^^ Burnside stuck in the mud,^^ We all 
enjoyed the joke. But to see a church dabbling in the 
filthy mud and muck of indifferentism until she can hardly 
move a wheel, is enough to make angels weep, and Satan 
to order a day of thanksgiving in hell. 

Again, when the Lord's army is ordered to go forward, 
it is soon discovered that there is a deplorable lack of 
discipline. An army devoid of discipline is an unwieldy, 
not to say almost useless, mass of ungovernable men. 
The Lord's army has too many camp followers, stragglers 
and supernumeraries, who report to nobody, and who 
seem to owe allegiance to no higher power than them- 
selves. These are " dead flies, that cause the ointment of 
the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor. " They are 
a stench in the nostrils of the world that causes it to turn 
away from the church with disgust, and the world mocks 
the church, whereas, if the conditions were as they should 
be, it would praise the church. I quote again from J. G- 
Briney : 

The fact of the utter absence of discipline from church 
life at the present time and for years past, is one of the 
unfavorable signs of the times. We assume the fact with- 
out taking time to prove it, for it is too obvious to require 
proof. Every church-member is a law unto himself and 
does whatever he pleases to do without even an official re- 
monstrance. The line of demarkation between the church 
and the world has become very dim, so far as every-day 
life is concerned, if it is visible at all. The world, the 
flesh and the devil are about as much in evidence in the 
church as elsewhere. We do not mean to say that there 
are no self-sacrificing, self-denying men and women in the 
church, for we bear willing testimony that there are many 
such. What we are saying is that people can be worldly and 
ungodly, and still have place and fellowship in the church 
without any expression of disapproval on the part of the 



300 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

church. The church is not setting its face against these 
things in any tangible or effective way. Is this con- 
dition of things to continue indefinitely, and even wax 
worse and worse to the end ? Is not the time fully 
ripe for a movement in the direction of restoring to 
the church the discipline of the New Testament? The 
Scriptures inculcate withdrawal from those who walk 
disorderly, but nothing of the kind is being done. This 
can not be interpreted as meaning that no church-mem- 
ber is walking in a disorderly manner. It means that we 
are not speaking where the Bible speaks, and are not 
doing what the Bible says. Can we not have a change in 
this respect ? 

Until we do have a change, and a very radical one, too, we 
will never restore the primitive church. Instead of cheer- 
fully submitting to the much-needed rebuke, and thanking 
him who prayerfully administered it, the tendency is to 
stone him who chides the wayward. Once I discoursed 
on this subject before an old congregation. At the con- 
clusion, members came to me and said, '^We never heard 
that subject preached on before ; that's just what we 
need." At another time I spoke on the same subject in 
the presence of one of our much-experienced State corre- 
sponding secretaries. At the close he said it was the best 
lesson on the subject he had ever heard. I take it that he 
had heard the subject discussed very seldom, since I re- 
garded the effort as quite ordinary. Do these examples 
teach us that the pulpit is at fault for lack of proper disci- 
pline ? Not necessarily, but my experience and observa- 
tion cause me to fear that such is the case. 

If an army was poorly drilled and disciplined, we cer- 
tainly would feel justified in laying the blame on the com- 
manding officer. We certainly can not blame Jesus, nor 
the Holy Spirit, for the lack of proper discipline in the 
church, for they have spoken frequently on the subject, 
and certainly we are not wanting in good common sense. 
Since the blame must rest somewhere, we are fearful that 
it may be found at the door of the watchman upon Zion's 
walls. He sees the danger, but does not blow the 
trumpet, and members are taken away in their iniquity. 
And what does the record say? "His blood will I require 
at the watchman's hand" (Ezek. xxxiii,). To your tents, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 801 

Christians, and plan a mighty forward movement of the 
Lord's army. Let every soldier be in his or her place, 
and step to the inspired music of the heavenly chorister, 
and there will be nothing that can withstand the mighty 
force that we will be able to hurl against the enemy. 



302 TWENTIETH CENTUR Y 



SETTING THINGS IN OEDER. 

tTit. i. 5; II. Tim. iv. 5.) 
[Delivered to the Church of Christ in Neosho, Mo., June, 1901.] 

Dear Brethren: — Before you can set anything in or- 
der, there must necessarily be something out of order. 
The church had to be built before it could get out of re- 
pair. God. knowing that all things with which man has 
to do, would be more or less out of order, wisely ordained 
a ministry for the church, whose business it would be to 
properly adjust and set in order things that might 
need repairing. In Eph. iv. 11 Paul makes mention of 
the ministry of the church in the following language: 
"And he [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, proph- 
ets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teach- 
ers," and adds that this was done "for the perfecting of 
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying 
of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the 
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a 
perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the ful- 
ness of Christ." 

Some of these offices were to cease, and some were to 
continue. The work of the evangelist was to preach the 
gospel, plant churches, and set in order the things needful 
for the greatest good to the church. The work of Philip 
and Timothy and Titus, who were evangelists, is sub- 
mitted, in proof of this fact. If this office was to be dis- 
continued, there would be no one left to plant the cause in 
new fields, since we read of no one being called to take the 
place of the evangelist. 

Let it be regarded as a settled fact that Timothy was 
an evangelist, and proceed to learn what were his duties. 
Prom the history given us by Luke and Paul, we learn 
that about A. D. 51 or 52 he went with Paul on an evan- 
gelizing tour through Asia Minor, Philippi, Thessalonica, 
Berea and Corinth (Acts xvi. 18). About A. D. 56 he 
and Erastus were sent by Paul on missionary business 



SERMOJ^S AND ADDRESSES, 303 

from Ephesus to Corinth (Acts xix. 22). In the spring of 
A. D. 58 he was with Paul at Corinth, and joined him in 
his salutations addressed to the brethren at Rome (Rom. 
xvi. 21). From Corinth he accompanied Paul on his last 
journey to Jerusalem, A. D. 58 (Acts xx. 4). We next find 
him with Paul while he was a prisoner at Rome, and still 
acting as his fellow-laborer in the gospel. Finally, he 
was left in Ephesus, about the same time that Titus was 
left in Crete, about A. D. 65, to set in order the things 
that were wanting in the Ephesian church. He was to see 
that none taught anything but sound doctrine ; that all 
things were to be done in love, out of a pure heart ; that 
prayers and giving of thanks were made for all men ; that 
women behaved themselves in a manner becoming their 
sex ; that well-qualified elders and deacons be chosen and 
properly set apart to their respective offices by fasting, 
prayer, and imposition of hands. He was to warn the 
disciples to beware of seducing spirits and doctrines of 
demons. He was to give himself wholly to the work ; he 
was not to be in haste about ordaining bishops and 
deacons, but to try them first, that their fitness might be 
proven. He was not to hear a complaint against a bishop 
unless it was supported by the testimony of two or three 
witnesses. Those that sinned he was to rebuke before all, 
that others also might be warned. Paul gave him a most 
solemn charge to preach the Word, to reprove, to rebuke 
and to exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

Many other items might be mentioned if we would 
refer to the labors of Mark, Luke, Titus, Epaphras, Troph- 
imus, Barnabas, and many other men who did the work of 
the evangelist. But from what we have learned, it is 
clear that the work of the evangelist, as defined, is three- 
fold: 

1. To convert and baptize the people according to the 
instructions of the apostles. 

2. To collect the disciples together into congregations 
most convenient for their improvement and edification. 

3. To exercise a proper watch-care, edify and instruct, 
until they were able to sustain themselves when bishops 
and deacons would be appointed, and the evangelist re- 



304 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

lieved from his local charge that he might go to another 
field to repeat the same work. 

While time endures, rt will be the duty of the church, 
through her chosen representatives, to preach the gospel, 
baptize the converts, to gather together the disciples, and 
to teach them the law of God. The apostles and prophets 
received their commission directly from Christ. The 
evangelist received his authority from the church, or 
churches, that laid hands on him and sent him out (Acts 
xiii.). Timothy, who was one of the most prominent and 
efficient evangelists, was set apart to the work, by the 
laying on of hands of bishops of Lystra and Iconium 
(Acts xvi. 1-3; I. Tim. iv. 14). It would be natural to 
suppose that he would report his work to the congrega- 
tions that ordained him, and sent him out. Likewise, 
that they would look after his temporal support while he 
was giving his time wholly to the work of preaching the 
gospel. Jesus told his apostles, if their message was 
not received, to shake the dust off their feet as a testi- 
mony against the rebellious. When Paul and Barnabas 
went to Antioch, the people resisted their message, and 
these evangelists shook the dust of the city off their feet 
and went to Iconium. If the evangelists and local preach- 
ers of to-day would follow this divine example, and leave 
the alien sinner, and the sinners in the church who will 
not receive the Word when faithfully preached, to perish 
in their sins, it might exercise a wholesome discipline in 
many cases. Why should the preacher waste his time 
with a people that will not hear, when there are many 
places where, like the Pentecostians, the people would 
gladly receive the Word? 

The evangelist studies to show himself approved unto 
God, that he may deliver the divine message fresh from 
heaven, as it were, and radiant with Grod's saving truth. 
While his hearers are out in the great battle of life, striv- 
ing to earn honest bread for the family, the preacher is in 
his study communing with God, that he may have a divine 
message to give to those who wear the labor-stained gar- 
ments. If the message is not received, in vain is it delivered. 
It is as much the duty of the church to hear and receive 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 305 

the message, as it is the duty of the preacher to deliver it. 
If the preacher may prepare his lesson for the church, and 
when the hour for assembling arrives, if the members have 
a right to lounge at home, or buggy-ride, or visit, and 
there is no remedy, verily the kingdom of God, which is 
the church, has the poorest system of government of any 
society on earth. 

I have said that the evangelist or preacher is under the 
care and protection of the congregation that sent him out ; 
but he is not under the authority of the church for which he 
is laboring. He went to their assistance to set things in or- 
der, if need be, and to keep things in order, which is always 
needful. To make the evangelist subordinate to the body 
to whom he is ministering, would be to put the physician 
under the care of the sick man, or the strong and healthy 
athlete under the care of the poor, sickly invalid. The 
doctor is called because somebody is sick and needs help. 
So with the church. It is fair to presume that she calls a 
preacher because she feels the need of help, wholesome in- 
struction, and the sincere milk of the Word, that she may 
grow thereby. Such being the case, where is the wisdom 
in putting the teacher under the tutorage of the babes in 
Christ ? 

But this is not all. The Holy Spirit has with care 
pointed out the qualifications that must attach to an evan- 
gelist, either located or traveling from place to place. 
We mention a few : 

1. He must have the ability to make known to others, in a 
clear and forcible manner, the whole counsel of God. 

2. Fidelity in the discharge of every duty. 

The Holy Spirit binds the pulpit as well as the pew. 
The preacher is not left free to choose his own course, not 
even to the discarding of unpleasant things, for he is com- 
manded to reprove and to rebuke ; and to rebuke them 
sharply ; and to rebuke before all, that others also may 
fear. He is to teach the church the necessity of withdraw- 
ing from every brother that walketh disorderly, or to de- 
liver such an one to Satan ; turn him over to the devil. 
These are not pleasant duties by any means. Every faith- 
ful preacher would shun them if he could, and be found 



306 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

guiltless before God. But the sad thing about it all is, 
that discipline in the church has sunk to such a low ebb 
that the preacher, or evangelist, can not speak of these 
things by way of correcting them, and setting in order 
the things that are so much needed, even though he do 
this with tender feeling, that causes him to weep, without 
being rebuked for "roasting the people. " In these de- 
generate days rebuking and exhorting are rendered 
"roasting." It is the firm conviction of many greater 
men than your humble speaker, that if we had more 
"roasting " here, we would have less of it on the sunny 
banks of the lake of fire and brimstone. Say what you 
may about this, and it will not change the fact. Every 
preacher who has the cause at heart, rebukes and reproves 
because he loves the wayward and would show him a more 
excellent way. 

Much of the evangelist's work is left to his own wisdom 
and discretion. This follows from the nature and char- 
acter of the work. His field of labor is the world. He 
has to deal with the rich and poor, young and old; with 
the learned and the ignorant ; the polished lady and gen- 
tleman, and the rude and uncultured ; with those who 
never take an offense, and with those who are always on the 
sharp lookout for one ; with those who are eloquent listen- 
ers, and those who are listless and idle hearers, and hence 
understand the preacher to say things that he never said. 
He speaks to the well-informed Bible student, and to 
those who do not know the difference between the Old and 
the New Covenant. To those who need encouragement, 
and to those who try to discourage. To those who are 
broken-hearted and to those who are hard-hearted. He 
addresses the ignoramus, called an elder, who has time to 
prosecute a large and lucrative business for his own profit, 
but never has time to look after the souls of the wayward; 
or another, who frequents the beer saloon before daylight 
oftener than he does the sick-room ; or the backslider 
whose soul is in danger of being lost for want of teaching 
and sympathy. He speaks to those who are interested in 
every word he says, and to those who care no more for his 
message of love than they do for the idle wind that passes 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 307 

by. Put yourself in the preacher's place, and meet all 
these wants and peculiarities and dispositions, and make 
no mistakes, and ruffle nobody's feelings, and please 
everybody, then you may be justifiable in having no 
patience with the poor preacher who " blunders along at a 
snail's pace" in his feeble efforts to set things in order. 
Until you can attain to this high standard of excellence, it 
might be well for you not to pick up too many stones as 
you cross Critic's Valley, lest you have enough left, after 
you have killed the preacher's influence, with which to 
beat the life out of the church. 

No other body of men has done so much for the ameli- 
oration of society as the God-fearing and conscientious 
evangelist. They have, from the beginning, had to fight 
the world, the flesh and the devil, and a part of the church, 
and they have gained a signal victory. In their labors to 
set the church in order, they have nothing to guide them 
save the word of God and their own wisdom. They find 
from the Living Oracles that a church without proper 
officers, set apart to their holy work, as the great Shep- 
herd and Bishop of our souls directs, is not set in order, 
but is in the formative period, and is in great need of 
further development. 

The evangelist calls attention to the fact that the 
New Testament, which is the constitution of the church, 
contains a financial system wisely framed to meet all the 
wants of the church, to evangelize the world and care for 
the poor saints. He teaches the church that there is no 
danger of its being overrun with poor, since the Holy 
Spirit tells us what class of persons are worthy to be fed 
from the church treasury (I. Tim. v.). The good and 
loyal preacher teaches us, in his effort to set things in 
order, that a church that will not obey the Scriptural in- 
junctions and admonitions of the divinely appointed 
bishops, is sadly out of order, and hence out of harmony 
with God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He does not fail to 
remind us that so long as it is in this condition, it can 
not bear fruit. Paul told the bishops of Ephesus that 
God had called them to be the overseers or care-takers of 
the flock, and that it was their duty to "feed the ciiurch 



308 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

of God which he had purchased with his own blood." 
Solemn charge ! Fearful responsibility ! I know a con- 
gregation that called a man to the bishop's office. He 
was so loose in his character that he frequented the saloon, 
and when spoken to on the subject sought to justify him- 
self in so base an act. Part of his family was a disgrace 
to the church. He lived about four blocks from the 
church house, was able-bodied and in good health, but 
was not at the Lord's table half the time. The character 
and conduct of the man would lead you to think that he 
never in his life said a word to a soul about its spiritual 
welfare. 

Such a man called to "watch for their souls as one 
that must give an account that he may do it with joy and 
not with grief." If the account is not rendered in much 
grief, it will be because of real, genuine repentance. The 
thought of an evangelist placing such a man in such a 
high and holy calling, ought to cause the face to blush with 
shame, and the world, even, to look upon such an unright- 
eous act with mingled feelings of scorn and pity. Such a 
man being called to the holy work of feeding the church 
of God is the strongest proof of the fact that that church 
needed to be set in order. 

To organize or constitute a church is a work of no small 
importance. A church may begin with three or more 
members. You say this is a small beginning. Yes ; but 
churches grow. And if properly managed and taught, 
they keep on growing. A church ought to have two or 
more deacons and two or more elders, but they may not 
have either and still be a church. There is a time in nearly 
every community where a church is organized before there 
is any one qualified to fill either the office of a deacon or 
an elder. These congregations in their infancy are under 
the care of an evangelist until he can train them and pre- 
pare men for Scriptural office and their helpers. Any 
evangelist who would neglect an infant church or appoint 
incompetent men over them to rule them, teach them, and 
transact such business as may be necessary, is doing a 
great wrong to his Master's cause. Sometimes we may 
grow a church in a year ; sometimes it may take ten years. 
The work of appointing officers over a congregation de- 
pends largely upon the Scriptural knowledge and w.sdom 
of the leading men among the membership. Let no evan- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 309 

gelist forget that the church is a divine institution and no 
one should be selected and appointed to serve God's chil- 
dren unless he is divinely qualified. I have known a num- 
ber of small bands of brethren under the care of an evan- 
gelist which were certainly divine institutions in their 
infancy and growing in the right direction. In their 
haste they appointed some novice, and it was not long 
until they were no more divine than a "man's smoking, 
club. " Never appoint a man to office in the church unless 
the church needs him, and the man is capable of filling 
the office to which he is appointed. 

When the bishop fails to feed the flock, he is out of 
order, and it is the business of the evangelist to "set 
things in order. " When the disciple refuses to submit to 
the oversight of the bishop, he is out of order and needs to 
be set right at once, with as little friction as possible. In 
" setting things in order," it is the business of the evan- 
gelist to teach the necessity of withdrawing the fellow- 
lowship ; what is meant by withdrawing the fellowship, 
and how it is done ; and the great need of the whole 
church endorsing the action. 

It is an idle ceremony, not to say solemn mockery, for 
the church to go through the form of withdrawing the fel- 
lowship, when in fact it is never done. Such a procedure 
causes the world to lose confidence in the church, and 
puts the offender further away than he was before. A 
firm decision and decided action always strengthen confi- 
dence in the ability of the church to keep itself pure. An 
institution that can not purify itself will sooner or later 
die of its own corruption. From lack of an effort to keep 
themselves pure, and in the line of duty, many are weak 
and sickly, and many sleep. Such had better hasten to call 
the elders to pray over them, anointing them with the 
oil of God's word, that they may confess their fault and 
be saved. 

Calling an evangelist to hold a meeting, and organize a 
church, if possible, puts the disciples who make the call, 
under the watch-care of the evangelist. Is the preacher 
called that he may be taught how to preach, and guide the 
church ? Is the evangelist, who is commanded to set iii 
order the things that are wanting, called by the weak and 



310 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

helpless, that he may, by them, be taught how to do the 
work ; or is he called " because by long practice, patient 
and hard study, and a wide experience he is known to be 
abundantly able to lead the inexperienced into broader 
fields of usefulness ? The inquiry carries with it its own 
answer. 

During our Institute Bro. Briney was asked this ques- 
tion, ''If the officers of the church are compelled by force 
of circumstances to spend their time in secular pursuits, 
and have little or no time to study the interests of the 
congregation, and the preacher spends all his time in the 
oversight of the flock, who should be chief in directing the 
affairs of the congregation ? ' ' The answer came, as might 
have been expe6ted, quick and pointed, "It should be the 
preacher!" If you could conclude otherwise, then your 
conclusion carries with it the idea that inexperience is 
better than practice, and the work of a novice better than 
the voice of wisdom. You may take hundreds of our 
active preachers and evangelists, and I question if there is 
one who, under favorable surroundings, would not, like 
Timothy and Titus, strengthen the cause in every field of 
labor. I am sure they have the desire ; if for no other 
cause, for the sake of their reputation ; they have the 
ability, and the word of God to guide them. 

The evangelist tarried in one place until the church was 
"set in order," and able to carry on the Lord's work to 
success. Frequent changes would have damaged the 
work, by creating the impression that the preacher was 
vacillating, or that the church had little confidence in 
him. By the time three or four new men had followed 
each other in quick succession, it would be little less than 
a miracle if the world would have confidence in any of 
the preachers. Frequent change in preachers, as a rule, 
comes from pandering to the depraved and morbid appe- 
tites of those who are of little account to the church, and 
sometimes from those who are a positive injury. A little 
firmness on the part of the bishoprick will right this 
wrong. 

The chief reason why primitive Christianity took the 
world for Christ was because the disciples allowed the 



SERMONS AND AhDUmSES. SU 

evangelist to guide the work, and they gave heed to the 
things that were spoken. Any congregation that will call 
a man of fair ability ; give heed to his counsels ; fall in 
line with the movements proposed ; give the preacher 
their moral support, sympathy and prayers ; talk him up 
Instead of talk him down ; treat him as if you thought he 
understood his business — every such congregation will be 
a city set on an hill that can not be hid. Let him live 
with you until he is builded into and becomes a part of 
society, and the people have learned to know him, and 
have confidence in him ; let him marry your children, and 
bury your dead ; go in and out before the people like an 
angel of mercy ; let him live with you until he can, by 
virtue of his good name, guide the people in acts of benev- 
olence, and the church will soon be a strong tower of de- 
fense, to which the storm-beaten mariner on life's troubled 
sea will flee for refuge, and look up to Jesus as his only 
hope. Your children and friends will be born into the 
kingdom of God through the instrumentality of the God- 
loving evangelist, who will set in order the things that are 
wanting, and keep them in order until the church will be- 
come a great beacon-light to illuminate the pathway that 
leads up to God. All of which is submitted in love, and 
for the good of the church, and may God add His 
blessing. 



512 T WEN TIE TH CENT UR Y 



THE CARE OF THE CHURCH. 

(II. Cor. xi. 28.) 

NO. L 
[Addressed to the church in Neosho, Mo., June 9, 1901.] 

The Church of Christ is the most sublime institution of 
which we have any conception. It took shape in the 
depths of the divine mind, and grew to perfection in the 
days of the Messiah. And since it was to break in pieces 
and consume all other kingdoms, and stand forever, there 
must needs be a law of perpetuation that would be as last. 
ing as the church. In fact, the governing law and the 
kingdom must be commensurate. Trifle with the law, and 
the kingdom will begin to totter. If the head of the gov- 
ernment is weak and vacillating, so will the government 
be. The care of the church is a burden to the God-fearing 
preacher, but to the one who cares only to draw his 
salary, it is a trivial matter, worthy only of a passing 
notice. 

The burden of my thoughts for the past few weeks has 
been, what can I do in the conclusion of my ministry here, 
which is rapidly drawing to a close, that will be of the 
most practical benefit to the church ? To this end would I 
gladly bend every energy. The redemption of fallen man is 
a work of immense magnitude, as well as of infinite import- 
ance. It has enlisted all the wisdom and energy of the 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and it was the intention to 
enlist all the capabilities and possibilities of the human 
mind as well. For this purpose God revealed Himself to 
man in all the plenitude of His marvelous richness and 
mercy. In working out the scheme of redemption there 
was unbroken harmony and unity of action between the 
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. These three great person- 
ages were one in t' ought, purpose and action. Hence the 
Saviour's prayer to His Father for His disciples, that they 
might all be one, as He and His Father were one, that the 



Sermons and addresses. 313 

world might believe in Him. God could not accomplish 
His purposes without co-operating with those intimately 
associated with Him. 

It is not in the nature of things that success shall be 
attained without hearty co-operation. This is just as 
true in religion as it is in politics, education or internal 
improvements. Before a church can prosper, there must 
be a cheerful, loving co-operation on the part of the mem- 
bers, and a real sympathy between the membership and 
him who ministers to their spiritual welfare. The faithful 
preacher pores over his library, early and late, to find 
something good for his people— something that they 
need to make them grow ; the sincere milk of the Word 
for the young, and meat for the more mature. He 
prays over his lesson. In the solitude of his study, where 
none but God sees his tearful eyes, he gathers from 
the holy Book things both new and old, and stores them 
in his heart until it is brimful of the lesson from God. He 
wends his way to the house of God to deliver his carefully 
prepared message. 

Bible-school is over, and the young disciple turns her 
back upon the pulpit and the Lord's table. The bishop, 
one of the overseers of the flock, seconds the move, and he 
walks out, and by the time the sermon is to be delivered 
some half dozen or more of those who need the message 
most have absented themselves, as if it were a matter of 
no consequence. Gone to prepare a good dinner, perhaps, 
for the temporal man. What matters it if the spiritual 
nature does languish and die ? The carnal appetite must 
be fed, and the service of the Lord's house is pushed aside, 
seemingly as thoughtless and careless as a child would 
drop its playthings ; as if there were uo God or Christ in 
the holy service ; as if it were a meaningless ceremony, a 
mockery, a sham. 

Then the preacher's spiritual thermometer falls far be- 
low zero, and he feels as if he were in close proximity to 
an iceberg. Sad plight in which to be, to deliver a mes- 
sage of love. The want of appreciation and sympathy 
stares him in the face. Carelessness and indifference 
mock him, and bold ungodliness points the finger of scorn 



314 TWENTIETH CENT UR Y 

and contempt at him, as much as to say, "Help yourself 
if you can." And he can. Here is the remedy, couched 
in the language of inspiration : "The Lord reward them 
according to their works." 

By Holy Writ it is made the duty of the church, 
through her chosen officers, to edify her members. In 
Rom. xiv. 9 Paul says : " Let us therefore follow after the 
things which make for peace, and things wherewith one 
may edify another." In Rom. xv. 2, "Let every one 
please his neighbour for his good to edification." I. Cor. 
xiv. 3, 4, " He who prophesieth speaketh to men for edifi- 
cation . . . and edifieth the church. " The word "edify" 
means to build up, to establish, to confirm. Hence it was 
the business of the church to see that every member of the 
congregation be regularly and profitably instructed in 
the Holy Scriptures. Without this there could be no 
building up of the body of Christ. 

The word of God is the food of the soul (Matt. iv. 4). 
Paul says it is that " which is able to build you up, and give 
you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified." 
The primitive church, understanding this, "continued 
stedfastly in the apostles' teaching, and in the fellowship, 
and in breaking of the loaf, and in the prayers," and soon 
became an empire mightier than that of Rome. To study 
the word of God is an imperative necessity, if we would 
know our duty to God. It is a positive command, en- 
forced- by many evangelists. " Study to shew thyself 
approved unto God," was Paul's earnest injunction to 
Timothy. Unless the members of the church can be in- 
duced to study the Scriptures for themselves, pulpit in- 
struction will do them but little good. No one was ever 
made a mathematician, or a linguist, or a philosopher, by 
listening to a course of lectures. In order to excel in any 
department, one must become a student. Hence every 
Christian family and church should be a school of Christ. 
If this were the case, we would not see the church humili- 
ated by incompetent teachers and guides in the absence of 
the preacher. 

Another fruitful source of evil in the church is the lack 
of discipline. It is deeply deplored by our best and 



Sermons and adT)be^'se3. si5 

purest-minded men. All manner of evil in the church, and 
it walking the streets at noonday, openly, and without re- 
buke. We held a meeting not long since for a congrega- 
tion in which there were five or six of the leading members 
living in adultery, and the bishops were afraid to under- 
take to set things in order. Had they fearlessly but 
Scripturally dealt with the first case, in all human prob- 
ability they would not have had a second. An ignorant 
board of officers is responsible for the deplorable and 
wicked state of affairs that is sapping the life of the 
church. We were in a congregation not long since where 
the ruling bishop divorced his wife for a trifling cause, 
and time proved that he had no ground whatever for 
action. In a short time he married another, and the 
church nevi'r so much as rebuked him for his corruption. 

What is the condition of the church ? It is weak and 
sickly, and ready to die. The people have very little confi- 
dence in the poor thing, and some of the members are trying 
to keep it alive by administering broken doses of music by 
means of a string band. Dram-drinking, card-playing and 
profanity are common in the church in many places. The 
thought of a saloon patron being a member of the church, 
to say nothing" of being an officer in the church, is enough 
to make one heartsick. And it becomes deeply mortifying 
when we remember that there is little, if anything, being 
done by the church to right the grievous wrong, or heal 
the putrefying sore. All transgressors and delinquents 
should be promptly resisted, and exhorted and encouraged 
to persevere in the good way. " If a man be overtaken in 
a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the 
spirit of meeknf ss, considering thyself lest thou also be 
tempted." Unnecessary delay in this work may prove 
disastrous to the soul of the wayward. 

The church should be kept in a pure and healthy con- 
dition. Absolute perfection is not to be expected in the 
church 1 earth. Some chess will be found among the 
wheat, and it may have to grow there until the harvest, 
which is the end of the world ; but this is no reason why 
thorns and thistles and briars should be allowed to flourish 
until thev have scratched the life out of the church. 



316 TWEl^TlEfH CENTVnY 

Nothing is more plainly taught in all the New Testament 
than that it is the duty of the church to withdraw her 
fellowship from every member who persists in a disor- 
derly course of conduct. Such was Paul's solemn charge 
to the church at Thessalonica : "Now we command you, 
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you 
withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh 
disorderly, and not according to the tradition which he 
received from us." So it was under the law of Moses, 
which was a shadow of good things tQ come. Every lep- 
rous and unclean person had to be put out of the camp, in 
which God dwelt symbolically, as He now dwells in the 
church by His Spirit. If the leper was left in the camp, 
all Israel was liable to become diseased by contact. The 
only remedy was to put away the unclean. If it was im- 
portant that strict sanitary measures be enforced in the 
camp of Israel, how much more important that the Church 
of Christ be kept free from that which pollutes the holy 
cause. If it is important to purify the body, how much 
more to cleanse the soul. This is the reason why God, by 
His Holy Spirit, does not dwell more richly in the church 
than He does. There is too much rottenness in the camp. 
Let a rigid sanitary order be issued to "clean up," 
" purify," " fumigate," and then in the fear of God, and 
with a desire to save souls, let this order be Scripturally 
enforced, and the Holy Spirit will take up His abode with 
us in all His mighty convicting and converting power; 
Zion will travail, and souls will be born into the kingdom 
of God, and the church will command the respect of the 
world. 

" Put away that unworthy brother from among you." 
It is not a matter of choice or of privilege, but an imper- 
ative duty^ that those who openly and persistently trans- 
gress the law of Christ shall be cut off from all the priv- 
ileges of the church, and delivered to Satan, for the 
destruction of the flesh, so that, if possible, their spirits 
may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 

A board of officers that does not take cognizance of 
the conduct of their own number, has no right to arraign 
any of the members for misconduct. How could the 



SEMMONS AND ADDkESSES. Sl7 

board, with any degf*ee of propriety, discipline a member 
for absenting himself from the house of God, when one of 
their own number was guilty of the same offense ? How 
could the board have the effrontery to chide a member for 
dram-drinking when one of the board was guilty of the 
same gross impropriety ? Benjamin Franklin was one of 
our good preachers of wide experience, of latge observa- 
tion, and practical good sense. All this prepared him to 
say that he had never known an adulterer, nor a forni- 
cator, that was ever reformed by any discipline within the 
churchy but that they always had to be excluded and deliv- 
ered over to the rough handling of Satan in order that the 
spirit might be saved. And Thomas Munnell, another of 
our wisest men, and an evangelist of wide experience, 
says of this : "And his experience is surely duplicated by 
that of others, and the human wisdom that undertakes to 
prevent an exclusion of all such persons for the ' destruc- 
tion of the flesh,' can claim no fellowship with the wisdom 
of God." 

Robert Milligan was for a long time president of the 
College of the Bible in Lexington, Ky., and an author of 
unquestioned repute, for learning and skill in Bible exe- 
gesis. He says, in speaking of those who obstinately 
transgress the law of Christ, that they should be cut off 
from the privileges of the church and delivered over to 
Satan for the destruction of the flesh. Dr. Macknight, a 
most learned commentator and translator of the Bible, 
says of this matter : "Deliver the guilty person to Satan, 
by a sentence, which one of your presidents shall pro- 
nounce, in order that his flesh, which he has so criminally 
indulged, may be destroyed, so as to bring him to repent- 
ance that his spirit may be saved in the day of judgment." 
I call your attention to the opinion of these justly re- 
nowned men, that you may know that your humble 
speaker does not stand alone on these important points. 

There are some sins so gross that no discipline in the 
church will ever cure them. Some of these I have men- 
tioned. The leper was treated outside the camp, and was 
not permitted to return until he was soundly healed of the 
disease. For some reason, Paul gave the Corinthian 



31$ TWENTIETH- CENTVRY 

church no orders about going to see that fornicator, nor 
about sending any committee to labor with him, nor about 
demanding a confession from him, but in almost every 
other verse he told them to put him away from among 
them. Paul knew that such characters would make a 
confession every morning before breakfast, and keep 
right on in their sins. Hence the short work made of 
this aggravated case. These examples are left on record 
for us to-day, to aid us in guiding the church and keeping 
it pure, that it may be a power in the world in saving 
men. These are divine lessons given us by inspiration, 
and we can not possibly go wrong if we follow them. 

As this discipline was wisely designed to keep the 
church pure, so should it be wisely executed by the whole 
church and in the fear of God. The bishops, with the aid 
of the evangelist or preacher, should thoroughly canvass 
every case of discipline or incompetency, announce their 
decision, and stand by it unless it can be shown that they 
did not have all the facts before them, or that they have 
done violence to the Scriptures in their adjustment of the 
cause. I once knew a case where the board, after due de- 
liberation, removed a young person from a minor office. 
The announcement of the filling of the office was made to 
the Sunday-school. Immediately on adjournment, the 
person approached the acting elder, who was Sunday- 
school superintendent, and plainly told him that she Was 
offended at the action of the board. At once steps were 
taken to effect ai compromise, which was a virtual admis- 
sion on the part of the elders that the thoughtless, incom- 
petent girl was right in rebuking the board for their 
blunder. Her objection to the action was equivalent to 
saying, " I know better how to do this business than you 
do;" and *'you ought to consult me when you wish to 
make any improvements in church affairs. " There was a 
splendid opportunity to show the young lady that it was 
her duty to "obey them who had the rule over her, and 
submit herself." A changeable, vacillating board, that 
can be moved about by the whims of the inexperienced, 
will not command much respect, and all discipline will go 
at loose ends, and the cause will languish. As a rule, 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 319 

when elders deal with frankness and candor, and fearlessly 
execute the law of God, they will command the respect 
and confidence of the church ; but all child's play will 
breed contempt. 

The New Testament does not teach us that the elders 
or bishops, because they are overseers, are to do all this 
work. Those in command of the army are not expected 
to do all the fighting. But it is their business to plan all 
the engagements, and direct the movements upon the 
field of conflict, and to see that every man is at his post, 
and in the discharge of his duty. So it is the work of the 
bishop to see that the flock is cared for, fed and nour- 
ished, and the young kept from the bears and wolves that 
would devour them. Quite often one may be found better 
qualified to do this work than the elder. A relative, a 
personal friend, or an intimate associate, may be able to 
get nearer to the offending party than could any one of the 
bishops. Let such an one be sent, ^nd since what one 
does by another he does by himself, it will be done by the 
bishoprick. 

The Holy Spirit has thrown some safeguards around 
the office of those who are to rule and guide. Peter warns 
them against being lords over God's heritage, and admon- 
ishes them to be examples to the flock. The pope of 
Rome did not originate from an evangelist, nor from a 
preacher. They seldom stay in one place long enough to 
grow up into authority. Their work is itinerant. The 
pope is an overgrown bishop. Being located in one place, 
often during lifetime, he gradually assumed authority, and 
others being of a timid nature, naturally shrank from it, 
until he stood alone in the exercise of all rule and all au- 
thority, and became the head over all things, to the sor- 
row of the church. There is nothing so much dreaded in 
the church by the preachers, or evangelists, as what is 
know among the preachers as a "ruling elder." One 
wholly unfit to rule or oversee his own afl'airs, but called 
by some boy preacher, or young church, to oversee the 
house of God. His mind is entirely absorbed in the 
affairs of this world, and he has no time to "feed the 
flock of God," over whom, not the Holy Spirit, but some 



320 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

inexperienced persons, made him overseer. If he had the 
time, he has no feed for the spiritual nature, his mind be- 
ing continually bent on money-getting. I know such an 
one. He is a rich lawyer. He made his money selling 
whisky and beer, and " jined " the church, and the breth- 
ren promoted him to the office of bishop. He had been 
handling spirits so long, and was so successful, they prob- 
ably thought he would make a good spiritual adviser. 
More preachers have been driven from what might have 
been fruitful fields, by these so-called "ruling elders," 
than from any other cause. Look well to this point, 
brethren, and remember that in the divine catalogue, as 
given by Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus, the 
evangelist is above the bishop ; and whenever you reverse 
the order, it smells of the Vatican Palace at Rome, which 
is very offensive to the olfactories of a preacher of the 
Church of Christ. Nothing is better known to the ex- 
perienced evangelist than that a disorderly church never 
sets itself in order, and there must be somebody to care 
for the feeble or helpless body, and set in order the things 
that are wanting. 

The most difficult part of church work is the skillful 
management of its finance. It requires the most careful 
work and skilled experience of the ministry to carry it 
through successfully. It has been thought by many that 
the preacher's work should be confined to his studies, his 
calls, and to the pulpit ; thus divorcing him from all respon- 
sibility in discipline and financial matters. This is clearly 
a fatal error. A large part of the time in all our conven- 
tions is spent in the study of this vexed question, and 
none understand it better than the preachers, and a few 
business men who attend, and take a deep interest in all 
church work. The preacher or evangelist should be in all 
the councils of the church. Church affairs is his study. 
If he knows anything, he knows the church. If he does 
not understand the church and her needs and wants, and 
know how to meet them, it is because he is young, and has 
not had the experience, or because of incompetency. In 
the first case, careful study of the word of God, and 
practice, which usually makes perfect, will soon prepare 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 321 

the consecrated young man for efficient work in the Lord's 
vineyard. In the second case, the abandonment of the 
pulpit would be a relief to the church. That the apostles 
were the prime movers and managers of the large sums 
raised and paid out for the local expenses at Jerusalem, is 
clear from Acts iv. 35-37 and Acts vi. 2. That Paul, Bar- 
nabas aad Titus busied themselves in church finance is 
plainly taught in Acts xi. 30 ; I. Cor. xvi. 2 ; II. Cor. viil. 
and ix. That they also took hold of disciplinary matters 
is apparent from I. Cor. v. 1-13 ; II. Cor. ii. 6, 7 ; I. Tim. 
V. 19, 20 ; II. Thess. iii. 14, 15. That the primitive evan- 
gelist and preacher had a general care over all needy 
churches and inexperienced officers is abundantly proven 
from the sacred page. Much of the disorder in certain 
churches is for want of official management. The lack of 
official care and oversight comes, not from lack of mental 
ability, or want of interest, but from lack of time to 
give to the proper consideration of the momentous 
question. 

To allow any one to have his own way in church affairs 
is a sorry exhibition of official weakness. To allow any 
member to escape paying his dues because he puts up 
some trifling excuse, shows that the officers are not pre- 
pared to have charge of the finance of the church. An 
exhibit of a little firm control once or twice, and there 
will be no trouble in collecting all that is pledged. "A 
tyrannical government is offensive, both to God and man, 
so also is a feeble, timid, cowering government. Few 
things are more censurable, or more undesirable, than a 
feeble, shrinking, timid eldership in the church. Their 
imperfect rule may result from too little knowledge of the 
Scriptures and church affairs, but whatever may b3 the 
cause, it must be admitted that the neglect or refusal of 
so many members to pay their dues is owing more to the 
lack of force of character in the officers than to a lack of 
principle in the members ; for, where the above-named 
policy is carried out, the dues of almost ever}' member 
will be paid with but little trouble. It i? quite c. mmon, 
when a subscription is raised, to hear it remarked that 
not more than two-thirds, or at most three-fourths, of it 



322 T WENTIETH CENTUR Y 

will be collected. From past experience, those who are 
acquainted with the members know what can be relied 
upon. Those who subscribe, and make no effort to pay, 
are covenant-breakers, a sin that Paul, in Romans i., says 
is '' worthy of death. " Fearful sin ! And every time the 
elders allow these parties to do so, they are training them 
in covenant-breaking ; a sin that is named in the most 
fearfully dark catalogue of crime to be found in the En- 
glish language, and Paul, the great apostle of the G-en- 
tiles, is the author. (See Rom. i. 29-32. ) 

In all church work, except that in the pulpit, the 
preacher and the elders were always associated, and they 
were regarded as the pastors of the church. The Greek 
word preshuteros, from which comes our English word 
"elder," means older, and indicates that the overseers 
were to be selected from the older men, because a well- 
matured and experienced mind was needful to properly 
care for the church of God. He must possess prudence, 
patience, vigilance ; he must have executive ability and 
decision of character. He must not be so prudent as to 
prevent wholesome discipline, nor so vigorous as to ren- 
der him hasty or impetuous ; but a well-rounded man, who 
can take care of the house of G^d. Our word *' overseer " 
comes from the Greek word episkopos. It was the name of 
a commissioner who had control of a military district. 
By various changes in the spelling it has come to be 
spelled hishopy which still means overseer.* The word 
poimeen is Greek, and means to shepherd the flock, to 
feed, to protect ; and is the word Paul uses in Acts xx. 28 
in addressing the elders, bishops or overseers at Ephesus. 
Heegemon is another Greek word applied to the elders. It 
means to lead, or guide. Hence Paul says in Heb. iii. 17 : 
*' Obey them who are guiding you. " 

From these various names, applied to the same class of 
officers, we may readily learn what were their duties as 
pointed out by the Holy Spirit. They were called elders 
because of their age and implied wisdom and experience. 
They were called bishops or overseers because it is their 



* See article on " The Eldership." 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 323 

duty to watch over and superintend all that pertains to the 
welfare of their respective congregations. They are 
called pastors or shepherds because they are required to 
have a shepherd's care over the flock of God. They are 
called teachers because it is their duty to instruct ail 
who are under their charge. Fearful responsibility I And 
who is it that will call for the rocks and mountains to fall 
upon him and hide him from the great Shepherd and 
Bishop of our souls in the judgment-day, if it be not him 
who has been called to "feed the flock of God," but has 
never gone out after a single hungry wanderer in his life ? 
"Who will it be, if not he who is called to be an "exam- 
ple to the church," but is frequently absent from the 
Lord's house ? Who will it be, if it is not he who is called 
and commanded' to " watch for their souls as he that must 
give an account," and he has never been on watch ? He 
is too busy with the cares of this world and the deceitful- 
ness of riches, to watch for souls. He never sacrificed a 
moment of time, that he could devote to gaining filthy 
lucre, that he might save a soul from death and hide a 
multitude of sins. He never left his business for an hour 
and went out to seek for a poor, wandering sheep that 
needed a word of encouragement, and that was starving 
for the bread of life. He never sought the presence of one 
who had been tempted and tried, and fell, and, reaching 
out a helping hand, tenderly said, " My brother, look up ; 
here is my hand and my heart. What can I do for you ? 
Oh, let me plead with you to come back from your wan- 
derings. The church will receive you and God will for- 
give }0U." 

Brother, if you are guilty of such gross neglect of duty, 
let me plead with you before you shall extend the awful 
account of shortcomings, resign the office you have never 
filled, the dignity and importance of which you have never 
appreciated ; fall on your face in the dust, and in sack- 
cloth and ashes beg God to forgive you for ycur inexcusa- 
ble carelessness. Put the congregation in the hands of 
an efficient evangelist who is competent, under God, to 
set things in order, and work with him, holding up his 
hands ; stand by him in every good work, and you will 



324 TWENTIETH CENT UR Y 

soon grow strong in the Lord, your influence will reach 
out after the people, your children will be born into the 
kingdom of God, and you will be like a city set upon an 
hill, that can not be hid ; and may G-od help the church to 
receive the message. 



SERMON.S AND ADDRESSES. 325 



THE CARE OF THE CHURCH. 

NO. 11. 
[Preached to the Church of Christ in Neosho, Mo., July 16, 1901.] 

Dear Brethren:— Since I began the careful prepara- 
tion of my morning lessons on " Setting Things in Order, " 
and "The Care of the Church," several articles have ap- 
peared in my weekly religious papers along the same line. 
They have been vigorous and thoughtful, showing that 
many men are thinking on the same subject. That which 
is the burden of many minds must certainly be worthy of 
more than a passing notice. In closing up my lecture 
touching the work of the bishops, I beg to call your care- 
ful attention to the following extract from one of our 
leading writers, clipped from the Central Christian Register 
for last week : 

Bearing in mind what we have said in this paper, we 
will now examine one memorable case of discipline as re- 
corded in First and Second Corinthians. The proceedings 
against the incestuous person are of the highest import- 
ance, as showing the power of the church and how this 
power is brought to bear against the guilty one. Let us 
see what was done with this sinful person and precisely 
how the matter was disposed of. To the law and to the 
testimony. We read the fourth and fifth verses of the fifth 
chapter of First Corinthians: "In the name of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my 
spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver 
such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, 
that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." 
It will be observed that the following points are clearly 
made out in the language of the apostle : 

1. Those composing the church are to come together or 
to be together, 

2. And in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, when to- 
gether, and my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, 

3. To deliver such an one unto Satan, 

4. For the destruction of the flesh. 

5. That the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 
Jesus. 



326 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Notice, if you please, with care, that the apostle, 
although deciding th3 guilt and the punishment, tells the 
brethren when gathered together to deliver such an one unto 
Satan. The church is to ratify the sentence against the 
wicked person. Paul says to the church, ^' Purge out, there- 
fore, the old leaven^" and then at the close of the chapter 
uses these significant words: ^' Therefore^ put away from 
among yourselves that wicked person. " 

Mark you, the apostle does not say, / have purged out 
the old leaven ; or, /have put away this wicked person by 
an inspired decree; or, / have settled the whole affair 
without the aid of the congregation. But his words are 
so plain and so easily understood that we see at a glance 
that the voice of the assembled church must be heard. 

The church then ratifies the decision of Paul, and this 
wicked person is no longer a member of the body of 
Christ. Although we have anticipated as to the manner 
of putting away or excluding the guilty party, still we 
have not run counter to the law of the Lord ia anything 
we have said, as will be noted in the following words 
found in the sixth verse of the second chapter of Second 
Corinthians: "Sufficient to such a man is this punish- 
ment, which was inflicted of many.'" Or, as translated 
from the original Greek by Drs. George Campbell, James 
Macknight and Philip Doddridge : "Sufficient for such a 
one is this punishment which was inflicted by the major- 
ity. " These words point with undeviating certainty to 
the church under Christ inflicting the punishment on the 
offender by ratifying the decision of Paul. And these 
words are for all time. When those who are the over- 
seers, rulers or elders of the church decide any given case 
according to the law and the testimony, their verdict 
must be laid before the assembled congregation to be rati- 
fied by the members. Permit me to say in the spirit of 
the Master that 1 have not the least desire to sustain any 
cherished theory as respects ordination, discipline or 
order of worship in the church. None whatever. Call it 
boasting if you will, but I have sat at the feet of some of 
the best educated and most distinguished men in this Ref- 
ormation, and heard them, with open Bible, expound the 
Scriptures, and witnessed their struggles to find the 
sure way of the Lord as to duty and privilege. This 
great movement began in order to free Christendom from 
the bondage of sectarianism and restore apostolic Chris- 
tianity to the world. This is yet the leading purpose of 
the Disciples of Christ. 

A good medicine is many times worse than nothing, if 
it is not given in the right way. If the father shall cor- 



SERMONS A ND A DDRESSES, 827 

rect the refractory child, and the mother defend it, the 
much-needed chastisement falls to the ground, and the 
child is made worse. Just so it is with discipline in the 
church. The first thing needful is to teach the church 
that she must endorse and stand by her bishops in all acts 
of discipline, or show by the Scripture wherein they are 
wrong. 

Every wise and good officer would much rather confess 
his error in judgment than to glory in an unrighteous de- 
cision. Paul says: '*Put the unworthy brother away 
from among you." "Keep no company with him." 
*'With such an one no not to eat." The bishops have 
patiently and prayerfully inquired into the case, and with 
a 1 the evidence before them, and the word of G-od to 
guide them, they have adjudged the brother unworthy, 
and deserving of the censure of the church. They labor 
with him. They exhaust every means. He will not re- 
pent. The bishops lay the entire case before the church, 
and ask for help to save the brother. "If any of you 
think you can do this wayward brother any good, we 
shall be glad to sfcay proceedings and give you an oppor- 
tunity." If nobody responds, one of the bishops will pro- 
ceed in an orderly and impressive way to the performance 
of a sad but imperative duty. After the statement of the 
case, the congregation standing with bowed heads, the 
bishop, with the New Testament in hand, will read Paul's 
instructions to the church: "Now we command you, 
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you 
withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh dis- 
orderly, and not after the tradition which he received of 
us; and that you note this man and keep no company 
with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as 
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. " Let this be 
followed by a solemn and impressive prayer that the 
action of the church may result in the salvation of this 
man by bringing him to repentance, and let all the con- 
gregation say amen. 

Suppose, after this is done, that we shall continue to 
visit with the brother, and eat at his table, and go to his 
socials, what fellowship have we withdrawn from him ? 



328 TWENTIETH CENTVRY 

Nothing at all, and what we did in the meeting when we 
said "We withdraw our fellowship," was a sham and a 
cheat, and all good people may rightfully accuse us of 
falsehood. But says one, and the inquiry comes with 
great force, "Suppose the one withdrawn from is my own 
blood relative, how can I proceed as Paul says?" If 
blood relationship is of more vital importance to you than 
your relation to Christ and His kingdom, you certainly 
have a very low conception of what it means to be united 
to Christ. Again, if you could find a case where it was 
difficult, or even impossible, to carry out Paul's injunc- 
tion, remember that extreme cases do not prove the rule, 
but that there are exceptions, doubtless, to all rules. 
Such a withdrawal of fellowship as is here spoken of will 
create a deep impression ; it will give dignity and charac- 
ter to the bishop's office, and great prosperity to the 
church. The Holy Spirit will take up His abode in the 
newly purified body, and the church will in word and deed 
become the "pillar and ground of the truth," and the 
great beacon-light to guide the storm-beaten and tempest- 
tossed mariner on life's troubled sea, safely into the haven 
of eternal rest. 

Let us now turn our attention to the qualifications and 
labors of love that belong to the deacon's office. Turning 
to the sixth chapter of Acts, we learn that the seven men 
whom the apostles told the brethren to "look out from 
among them, ' ' were not chosen to distribute the bread and 
wine at the Lord's Supper. If this ever became a part of 
their work, we are not so informed in the inspired record. 
They were chosen for a very different purpose. A child 
might very fittingly pass the emblems, but who would 
argue that, therefore, a child could be a Scriptural dea- 
con ? I hear brethren talk as if they thought that it was 
the chief duty of the diaconate to serve at the Lord's 
table. Brethren, have you not read the Book ? Do you 
not know the duties of the office to which you, as the spir- 
itual advisers of the church, have called men ? How, 
then, do you know if you have called such as will be pleas- 
ing to Him who pointed out the qualifications? Have 
you called one who is frequently absent from the Lord's 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 329 

table ? How can he discharge his duties, and be some- 
where else ? Will that be using the office of a deacon 
well ? Will absence from the Lord's house be an example 
to the flock? It certainly will; but an example upon 
which the condemnation of God rests. 

Have you been appointed to the office of deacon ? Have 
you read the Book to learn the arduous duties that de- 
volved upon you the moment you assumed the responsi- 
bilities of this sacred office ? In truth, brother, do you 
know what part of the Book to read, to find your duties 
marked out ? Have you had an anxious thought on the 
subject since your appointment ? Have you prayed over 
the matter, asking for divine guidance, that you, as Paul 
says, may purchase to yourself a good degree, and great 
boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus ? Paul says 
you " must use the office of a deacon, being found blame- 
less." It would be an accident if you did this, if you do not 
know your duties. Had you been chosen to a civil office, the 
first thing you would have done after your oath of office, 
would have been to call for a law-book that you might 
learn your duties ; and you would study that you might 
be proficient in every department of your work. Is the ap- 
pointment to an office to which Grod has called you less 
than the least of all civil offices ? If such is your idea, 
you will never magnify your office. 

After Paul carefully details the qualifications of the 
bishops, he proceeds to detail the qualities necessary to fit 
one for the deacon's office by saying "likewise, " and " let 
these also first be proved." These expressions clearly 
indicate that the deacons were to be tested or tried the 
same as the bishops. " Likewise must the deacons be 
grave. " Men of dignity of character. It does not require 
much dignity of character to pass a plate, and passing the 
cup would not be very likely to make one greedy of filthy 
lucre, that Paul would need caution them on that account. 
They must not be " double-tongued, " but they must be 
"blameless," and even their "wives must be grave, not 
slanderers, sober, faithful in all things, ruling their chil- 
dren, and their own house well." What is the deep 



330 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

meaning of all this, to which so little attention is paid ? 
Much every way. 

The first duty performed by the seven deacons in the 
Jerusalem church was to care for the poor, and they had a 
hundred poor where we have one. Here, then, is a hint to 
the deacons to see after those who may be neglected. 
*' Their widows were neglected in the daily ministration." 
Diakonos is a Greek word. Ifc means a servant, and from 
it we get our word "deacon." Paul says that Phebe 
was a servant of the church at Cenchrea. She was a dea- 
coness. The deacons attended to the secular affairs of the 
church. This was the limit of their official duty. Their 
office did not confer on them the authority to teach or 
preach, either in private or public. The elders must be 
"apt to teach," and the evangelist must "preach the 
word," but there is not a single intimation that teaching 
or preaching was any part of the deacon's office. Their 
duties were very im;:ortant, but they ran in another direc- 
tion. They were to care for the finance, look after the 
poor and afflicted, and all secular affairs in general. 
Caring for the poor caused the church to command great 
respect in the eyes of the world. The church was a poor- 
house, and the deacons were the keepers. The church 
should be the Christian's poorhouse to-day. Shame on the 
congregation that will allow one of its poor to be sent to a 
modern poorhouse, or be kept by a secret organization. 

While the deacons were not required by their office to 
preach, yet there was nothing that debarred them from 
discharging the functions of the high office if they had 
the qualifications. Two of the seven who were chosen at 
Jerusalem, became eminent evangelists. Stephen was 
mighty in the Scriptures, as we learn from his apology in 
Acts vii., and "Philip went down to Samaria and preached 
Christ unto them. " This tells us of the noble character 
of the men chosen to the diaconate : men who developed 
into preachers who were able to defend the claims of the 
gospel against the assaults of infidelity. 

The deacons had charge of the church treasury. And 
when we remember th^t in those days conversion reached 
the pocket-book to the extent that they "sold their pos- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 331 

sessions and goods, and distributed the price to ail men, 
as every man had need," we will know that the deacons 
had charge of large sums of money. Hence the Holy 
Spirit required a man who would be above temptation. 
He must not be "greedy of filthy lucre." 

In looking after the finance of the church, and properly 
adjusting the vexed questions connected with this im- 
portant business, great wisdom is needed, mixed with 
prudence and discretion. The deacons must be "blame- 
less " in the exercise of the duties of their office. "Faith- 
ful in all things," says Paul. These things must be that 
they may command the confidence and respect of the 
church for which they are called to transact business in the 
name of the Lord Jesus. A good financial system is indis- 
pensable to the peace and prosperity of the church. 
Some persons do not give because they are covetous. 
Some difficulty may be experienced in diagnosing the case 
so as to determine whether it is covetousness or a lack of 
religious culture in the habit of giving. If it is the latter, 
no discipline is needed, but kind teaching, and insisting 
that the giving be "according as the Lord has prospered 
them," will generally mend the matter. If a brother 
pays less as his riches increase ; if he keeps up his com- 
plaint at every call for money, when you well know he is 
prospering financially, or if he begins to draw away from 
the church to avoid paying anything, it is a clear case of 
covetousness, which Paul says is idolatry. The deacons 
should report the case to the bishops as one requiring dis- 
ciplinec In such a case two of the elders should visit him 
officially, and so explain to him as to leave no excuse. If 
this fails, the next thing is a " rebuke before all," as Paul 
commands, which is apt to be sufficient. If nothing will 
do him any good, let the church "deliver him over to 
Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may 
be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." Such is the 
teachings of the Holy Spirit (I. Cor. v. 3-5). 

"Let each one of you lay by in store, upon the first 
day of the week, as God has prospered you" (I. Cor. xvi. 
2). This is the divine rule for giving. Not a few are to 
support the cause, but the many. Let "each one of 



332 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

you "is the divine admonition. *The church may need 
some help from the diaconate in order that each member 
may see clearly how this can be done. If the church has 
followed the divine rule, you have chosen a wise and godly 
number of men and women (Rom. xvi. 1), of mature age, 
who are able to care for your estate. Let these deacons 
meet, and with a fair knowledge of the financial standing 
of each member, let them make a fair and equitable ap- 
portionment to every brother and sister, young and old, 
according to their respective abilities. In some cases the 
deacons will overestimate, and in others underestimate, 
the ability. As soon as the apportionment is complete, 
let the deacons divide the names among them, recording 
them in a little memorandum. Then pass over their re- 
spective districts and see if each one is willing to pay the 
amount asked, more or less, and put the figures up or 
down accordiogly. Let the deacons report to the Board 
how much of the apportionment has been agreed to, and 
you will know just what you have to depend on. When 
other members are added to the church, let them be ap- 
portioned. Let each deacon keep his list and collect for 
his district ; credit each member with the amount paid ; 
turn it over to the secretary of the Board, who also has a 
list of all the members, to whom he likewise will give 
credit, and pass the deacon a receipt for the money paid 
to him. The secretary will pay this money over to the 
treasurer and take his receipt. 

This simple process is a complete system of book- 
keeping, easy and practical, by which all the accounts will 
be kept, and from which a financial report may, at any 
time, be made to the church. No member should pay 
money to the preacher, but always to the proper collector, 
lest the account be thrown into confusion. This, or a 
similar system, wisely practiced, and the difficulties 
attending church work would be reduced to the minimum. 
If the cause we plead is not worth some kind of a system- 
atic financial system, it certainly has been very much 
overestimated. Such a system ought to run like clock- 
worlc, and bring perfectly satisfactory results. 
*See Munnell's "Care of Churches," p. 43. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 833 

But this question will arise in your mind, What will 
we do with those members who will not, or can not, pay 
what they have promised ? If they can not pay, let the 
deacon report the fact to the Board and let them be 
excused at once. If they can and will not pay what they 
agreed to, let the deacon say, to the one that refuses, 
something like this: "This is no individual matter of 
mine. I am simply working under the directions of the 
church. I am to report monthly to the Board what I do, 
showing who pays and who does not. Perhaps they will 
excuse you if you have any good reason. What shall I say 
to the Board for you at our next meeting ? Shall I say 
that you are unable to pay, or that you are able, but 
simply refuse to do it ? I will tell them whatever you 
wish me to, and will return the answer." In most in- 
stances this will meet the case, for if he is a man of 
honor, to say nothing of religion, he would rather pay his 
few dollars than to have his name and financial condition 
canvassed by the Board. But what if some still refuse to 
pay ? Let the deacons report the same to the church, 
stating that they have done their best to show them their 
duty in this matter, but they have disregarded us and the 
whole church, and we report them as worthy of censure, 
and we now read their names and the amounts, that all 
may know the wrong they are doing the church as well as 
to themselves. This will bring them to shame and refor- 
mation, or it will develop the irre igious element of their 
natures so as to show very clearly what steps ought to be 
taken, even if it should be exclusion from the church. Of 
one thing you may be very sure, you will, after this, have 
little or no trouble with such delinquents. 

All must know that very much of the disorder in 
churches comes from a want of official management. Let 
the management of the church be Scriptural, and it will 
be firm but just ; vigorous but kind ; fearless but loving ; 
and all will gladly ' ' Obey them who have the rule over us, ' ' 
and have the greatest respect for the deacons who so 
patiently take care of the office that they may procure to 
themselves an excellent degree, and great boldness in the 
faith which is in Jesus Christ. The greatest trouble in 



334 TWENTIETH CENTUMY 

our church work is a want of system and discipline. In all 
worldly business we have system, order, discipline and 
push, knowing that we can succeed in no other way. But 
in church work, things are likely to go at loose ends, hap- 
hazard, hit and miss, and then we wonder why the church 
doesn 't prosper. 'Tis marvelous that it prospers as well as 
it does. Ninety-nine out of a h undred of the members give 
all their time to the prosecution of their worldly business, 
and have little or no time to study the interests of the 
church. "We do not put men to lead in any other business 
who have little or no time to study the business. The 
president of the bank gives his time to that work. The 
foreman gives his time to the management of his men, to 
get the best results. The manager of a large concern 
gives all his time to overseeing the business, the care of 
the clerks, etc., but we put men to oversee the church 
whose hands are so full of worldly enterprises that they 
do not know when foreign missionary day comes, though 
our papers have been full of it for a month. 

The man who gives all his time to the interests of the 
church is the man, under God, who should direct the 
affairs of the church. This would be manifesting the 
same good sense in church affairs that we do in our every- 
day business ; and certainly the cause is worthy of it. In 
the days of the primitive church the evangelist or the 
preacher had charge of the church until talent was devel- 
oped that was able to guide her in the discharge of her 
arduous duties. The church was a school where men were 
taught the word of God, and the teacher, guided by in- 
spiration, or the New Testament, was the teacher, and 
the church gave heed to the lesson. They were anxious 
to learn it. Now the pulpit ministry has very little in- 
fluence on the church, and there are very few who care to 
know the Bible. We have the same New Testament that 
they had, and it will guide us into the same marvelous 
success that the early church enjoyed, if we will use it. 

In the three lectures that I have given on "Setting 
Things in Order " and "The Care of the Church," I have 
followed in the footsteps of the most illustrious men who 
have written on these fruitful themes. First, I made the 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 335 

New Testament my chief guide. Then I looked at the 
teachings of our best Biblical scholars to see what was 
their view of the sacred text. And in these papers you 
have the thouo^hts of Alexander Campbell, the sage of 
Bethany ; Isaac Errett, the voluminous writer ; the bril- 
liant J. W. McGrarvey, the clear thinker, and Robert Milli- 
gan, both presidents of Lexington College ; and James 
Macknight, the scholarly translator ; and I might extend 
the list almost indefinitely, if time would permit. 

So, in listening to what I have said to you, you have 
listened to a multitude of counselors who have given us 
their ripest thought on these subjects. Whether you will 
give heed to it remains to be seen. If you shall be con- 
tent to go on in the future as you have in the past, disre- 
garding the advice of long experience, choosing rather to 
be guided by the novice, you will reap the same results, 
and you will be as responsible for the reaping as you are 
for the sowing. 



336 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



HGW TO IDENTIFY THE CHURCH OF 
CHRIST. 

When Alexander Campbell began to proclaim the fact 
that the Church of Christ was built in Jerusalem on the first - 
Pentecost after Jesus arose from the dead, he was looked 
upon as a dangerous man. Now the representative men from 
all the leading Protestant bodies affirm the same thing, 
and say that in Jerusalem in 34 A. D. we find "the first 
Christian church." This is a clear admission on the part 
of the denominations that the Church of Christ began on 
the first Pentecost after Jesus arose from the dead. Also 
that the church began in Jerusalem in the first century. 

It follows, then, with all the force of a mathematical 
demonstration, that any religious body whose entire his- 
tory is exhausted before we reach the first century, can 
not be the Church of Christ. Let an honest person set 
out on a search for the Church of Christ. He comes 
across a magnificent building, with cloud-piercing spire, 
and he inquires, "What is this?" "This, sir, is the 
Methodist Episcopal Church." He soliloquizes, "This 
may be the religious body I am looking. after. I will read 
up their history and find out." So he commences to read 
the history of this people, written by their own men. 
From 1902 he reads up the stream of time, learning more 
aad more of Methodism, with its seventeen branches, till 
he passes 1729. After he reads beyond the Wesleys he 
seems to have lost the trail. He doubles his diligence, 
but fails. He ransacks the libraries of the world, but 
utterly fails to find so much as one word said about the 
Methodist Episcopal Church after he passes 1729. The 
reason is obvious. The world never had a thought on the 
subject of Methodism previous to this date. Every scrap 
of history relating to the Methodist Church, with its vari- 
ous branches, is exhausted in 173 years. But it is an ad- 
mitted fact that the Church of Christ began in the first 
century. Therefore this honest inquirer can come to but 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 337 

one conclusion ; viz.: that the Methodist Episcopal Church 
is not the Church of Christ. 

But he continues his search. He finds another stately 
building, and is informed that it is the Baptist Church. 
'' This is doubtless the true church, " he says ; " I will in- 
vestigate. " Baptist literature is put in his hands and he 
reads. From 1902 he reads up the stream of time until he 
comes to 1607. He learns much about the Baptist Church, 
with its thirteen branches, but at 1607 the history comes 
to a sudden stop. He says this church is not old enough ; 
there must be more history somewhere. He sends to 
every book store and publishing-house in the world, and 
orders every book that was written previously to 1607 in 
regard to the Baptist Church. He is made astonished on 
receipt of the replies, as one by one they come in, inform- 
ing him that there is "no such book in print, and never 
was." He has exhausted every page of Baptist history 
and has only ascended the stream of time 295 years. He 
knows the Church of Christ existed in the first century. 
Therefore he knows that the Baptist Church can not be 
the Church of Christ. 

He hears of the Lutheran Church, with its eighteen 
branches, and he pushes his investigation, and reads up to 
1530, but beyond this all history is as silent as the grave 
touching the Lutheran Church. He knows that the 
Church of Christ was in existence long years before 
Luther was born, and hence the Lutheran Church can not 
be the Church of Christ. Our honest inquirer tries the 
twelve kinds of Presbyterians, but finds no trace of a 
Presbyterian Church beyond the days of John Calvin. 
The religious body comes short by more than sixteen 
hundred years. Episcopalianism is weighed and found 
wanting by fifteen centuries, such a thing as the Epis- 
copal Church never having been heard of until Henry 
VIII. in 1534. 

He hears that "Rome claims to be the mother of us 
all." So he reads up the stream of time until it becomes 
red with the blood of martyrs, and the pages of history 
are black and scarred with the smoke and ashes from her 
burned victims, murdered in cold blood by the decrees of 



338 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

Catholic bishops and lecherous priests. When he comes 
to 533, all history touching Catholicism ceases. There is 
not a trace of it beyond the Roman emperor Justinian, 
who by his decree made John the Pope of Rome, and com- 
manded the armies and navy of the empire to obey him. 
Here we mark the union of Church and State. But the 
Church of Christ had been in existence five hundred years 
previous to this arrogant deed by this bloody and tyran- 
nical emperor. Hence the Roman Catholic Church can 
not be the Church of Christ. 

The honest inquirer is well-nigh disheartened, and 
when he is just about to give up in despair, and brand all 
religion as an empty humbug, he comes across a copy of 
the New Testament. He sees from the title-page that it 
purports to be a history of Jesus Christ and his work. 
As it is the Church of Christ that this man is seeking 
after, he naturally infers that Christ has built this church, 
and that he may find a history of it in this book. He does 
not read far until he hears Jesus say to his apostles, " On 
this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it." He also learns that Jesus 
said that ''repentance and remission of sins should be 
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at 
Jerusalem. " And as if this were not enough, in the Acts, 
second chapter, he finds a detailed narration of events 
that happened on the great Pentecost ; just fifty days 
after Jesus died, and here, for the first time, the sacred 
historian says, "The Lord added unto the church daily 
the saved." 

This honest inquirer finds that the New Testament 
history takes him back to the day of Pentecost and also 
shows him the beginning of the Church of Christ. He 
also finds that the history of every religious denomina- 
tion, party or sect dates the beginning of these churches 
many hundred years on this side of the birth of the 
Church of Christ. The honest inquirer concludes at once 
that they are nothing more than human institutions, and 
not divine, and hence are unworthy the confidence of him 
who is honestly seeking to know the infallible way. The 
inquirer finds that not one of these institutions, whose 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 339 

entire history is exhausted before we reach the days of 
the apostles, is so much as mentioned by the sacred 
writers, who give us an inspired account of the Church of 
Christ. So he asks, ''How could the historian give us 
an account of something that did not have an existence 
for hundreds of years after the writer's death ? " Such a 
thing is impossible, unless the writer be an inspired 
prophet. 

That denominationalism has an existence is denied by 
none. That it was not born of God is admitted by all. 
Tell us who is the father. A chapter or two from some one 
of the inspired writers addressed to a denomination would 
be some intimation that possibly the divine hand had 
something to do in forming them. But, on the contrary, 
it so happens that we have no inspired writing that says 
anything about the religious denominations. It is there- 
fore unsafe for an honest inquirer to risk his salvation 
in an organization that is not recognized in the entire 
word of God. Every religious denomination was con- 
ceived in the brain of some man, and the creeds and con- 
fessions of faith made for their government are in direct 
conflict with the word of God, and were made for the pur- 
pose of excluding somebody who was as near right, and 
perhaps more so, than the one who did the excluding. 

Another very important item an honest inquirer will 
learn, by reading the history of the church, as written by 
Luke, and that is, that these denominations did not start 
in the right place. Justinian's work began at Rome, 
with the Nicene Creed for its rule of faith and practice ; 
Luther's movement arose in Wittemberg, with the Augs- 
burg Confession of Faith as its directory ; the Episcopal 
Church began at London, and was based upon the " Thirty- 
nine Articles of Faith." Presbyterianism began chiefly 
m Scotland, and had for its foundation the Westminster 
Confession of Faith. The Baptist Church began in London. 
Some of \ts branches are Calvinists, and some are gov- 
erned by the Philadelphia Confession of Faith. The 
Methodist Church began at Oxford, and is governed by 
the Discipline, but the Church of Christ began at Jeru- 
salem, and is governed by the New Testament. Again, 



340 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the members of these denominations are called by a vari- 
ety of human names and titles not found in the word of 
God, but the members of the Church ot Christ were 
called Christians first at Antioch, and they still honor 
their Saviour by wearing his name. 

There is still another mark of identity. The doctrine 
preached by the primitive church was the death of Christ, 
the burial of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. 
Divine wisdom arranged a " form " of this doctrine which 
is visible to the human eye. The form of doctrine is im- 
mersion. The penitent sinner who had died to his sins 
was taken by the primitive church and buried in the em- 
blematic grave, from which burial he arose to walk in a 
new life. This was the visible form of the death, burial 
and resurrection of Christ. It also reminds us of our final 
dissolution, burial and resurrection of the last day. This 
" form of doctrine " perpetuated would ever keep before 
the world the thought that Christ died and arose from the 
dead for our justification. Satan, who has been at war 
with Jesus and his church from the beginning, put it into 
the "man of sin" to abolish immersion and substitute 
sprinkling in its stead, that the name and resurrection of 
Christ might be blotted from the memory of men. Sec- 
tarianism, the child of Satan and the enemy of the Church 
of Christ, adopted the invention of the pope, and now they 
sprinkle a little water on the person and call it baptism, 
which is as wicked a lie as the devil ever told. Read the 
history of the Church of Christ from to-day back to Pente- 
cost, and the honest inquirer will learn that her loyal men 
practiced immersion from the beginning to the present day. 

Another mark of identity that has always pointed to 
the Church of Christ as the true church, and to denomina- 
tional churches as counterfeit, is the weekly observance of 
the Lord's Supper. The Lord Jesus, the night he was be- 
trayed, ordained this sacred memorial as a perpetual 
monument, pointing to the fact that he died for the sin of 
the world. Its observance on "every first day of the 
week " reminds us that on that day the dead Christ came 
to life again, and arose from the dead with healing in his 
wings. The primitive church observed this supper every 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 341 

Lord's Day. Let the houest inquirer read the history of 
the Church of Christ, and he will find that it has observed 
the supper, and thus every Lord's Day has " shown forth 
his death " as was the intent. Satan held the " power of 
death," and Josus while in the grave was under the 
dominion of the arch-enemy. When Jesus arose he robbed 
Satan of his power, and he has no more dominion over the 
grave. Satan wishes the world to forget that Jesus con- 
quered him in the grave, and hence he put it into the 
minds of sinful and ignorant priests to keep the supper 
once a quarter, or less frequently, and some of the denomi- 
nations have so far forgotten the early practice that they 
do not observe the Lord's Supper so much as once in a life- 
time. 

There are unmistakable marks of identity that point 
with unerring certainty to the Church of Christ as the 
true church, whose constitution we find in the New Testa- 
ment. Let the honest inquirer read the inspired history 
of the church as given by Luke and compare its teaching 
and practice with the teaching and practice of the Church 
of Christ of to-day, and then compare it with the teach- 
ings and practices of the denominational churches of to- 
day, and if he be a man of ordinary mental power, he will 
have no trouble in deciding which is the New Testament 
church. 

There is still another unmistakable mark of identity 
that has always pointed to the Church of Christ; viz.: 
*' The immersion of repentance for the remission of sins. " Im- 
mersion is such an important part of the Christian system 
that it is spoken of and alluded to more than one hundred 
times in the New Testament. That it is a divinely ap- 
pointed institution none can question. For what purpose 
was it designed ? Let us make our appeal to the apostles 
and evangelists of Jesus Christ. What do they say about 
the design of immersion ? 

Let us glance at the work of John the Immerser, who 
came to prepare a people for the Lord. -We find, by ex- 
amining the sacred records, that he preached the "im- 
mersion of repentance /or the remission of sins " (Mark i. 4). 
Hence it was an intensely interesting subject, and of infi- 



342 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

nite importance. " For the remission of sins " is a simple 
form of expression, easily understood. It was not an ac- 
cident that the Heaven-appointed messengers said that 
immersion was for the remission of sins. They were 
commanded to make just such a declaration. Immersion 
was ordained by Heaven, to be practiced for the remission 
of sins, and for no other purpose. The sacred writer 
says: ''John did immerse in the wilderness and preach 
the immersion of repentance for the remission of sins " 
(Mark i. 4). "And John came into all the country about 
Jordan, preaching the immersion of repentance for the 
remission of sins " (Luke iii. 3). 

As certain as John's immersion was the ^^ immersion of 
repentance," so certain was it ^'for the remission of sins." 
Let us read the Scripture on this subject. *' John did 
immerse and preach the immersion of repentance for the 
remission of sins" (Mark i. 4). "The people of Judaea 
and Jerusalem were immersed by him in Jordan, confess- 
ing their sins " (Mark i. 5). "Preaching the immersion 
of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke iii. 3). 
*' Repent, and be immersed every one of you in the name 
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins " (Acts ii. 38). 
"Arise, and be immersed, and wash away thy sins, calling 
on the name of the Lord " (Acts xxii. 16). In these Scrip- 
tures the design of immersion is as clearly expressed as a 
thought can be expressed by simple words. In Acts 
ii. 38, above quoted, the words "repent" and "be im- 
mersed" are tied together by the conjunction "and," 
hence both are embraced in the same command, and look 
to the same end. Does God command man to repent 
because his sins are forgiven, or m order to their forgive- 
ness ? To say "Yes " to the first part of the inquiry is to 
say that God can, and will, forgive man before he repents 
of his sins. This, God can not do without offering a pre- 
mium upon sin, which would be to wreck His moral gov- 
ernment. No more can God forgive the man who will not 
be immersed, since it is an inseparable part of the same 
law by which God saw fit to bind Himself. 

What did Jesus shed His blood for ? Let Him tell. 
" For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES 343 

for m3i,ny for the remission of sins" (Matt. xxvi. 28). In 
Acts ii. 38 Peter commanded the people to " repent, and 
be immersed for the remission of sins." Whether the 
word "for " in this sentence means " because of," or "in 
order to, " can easily be determined. In the two passages 
just quoted the word "for " comes from the same word, 
and is found in the same sentence, so that what it means 
in one sentence it must mean in the other. Did Jesus 
shed His blood because the sin of the world was forgiven ? 
Nobody who has any clear conception of the gospel scheme 
believes this. Th3 idea is absurd. Jesus shed His blood 
foTj or in order to^ the remission of sins. Hence the ex- 
pression "/or the remission of sins " means in order to the 
remission of, or forgiveness of, or pardon of sins. As 
certain as Jesus shed His blood that we might be forgiven, 
just so certain are we to repent and be immersed in order 
that we may be forgiven, and none can escape this conclu- 
sion without destroying the force of language. 

In Eph. iv. 6 Paul says : "There is one Lord, one faith, 
one immersion." Now, as there is but one immersion, 
and the New Testament affirms that this immersion 
practiced by John and the apostles stands connected with 
the remission of sins, it follows that Paul's " one immer- 
sion " must be for the remission of sins. We are not 
commanded to be immersed for faith, for repentance, nor 
for adoption, but for the remission of sins. Not for the 
sin of Adam, nor for sins yet to be committed, but for 
past sins. We give a few quotations from men in the 
front rank of the denominations : 

A correspondent, writing to the Biblical World for 
June, asks this question : 

"Will you do me the favor, first, of translating from 
the Greek Acts ii. 38, and, second, of paraphrasing it care- 
fully so as to answer the following question : Does the 
Greek expression *for the remission of sins' mean that 
repentance and baptism were to be obeyed in order that 
sins might be forgiven ? " 

Here is the answer without comment as to the trans- 
lation : "And Peter said to them. Repent ye, and be 
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for 
the forgiveness of your sins ! " As to the paraphrases, 
** Repent, and be baptized every one of you, that you may 



344 TWENTtETH CENTVR Y 

obtain forgiveness of your sins." This translation and 
paraphrase represent the scholarship of Chicago Univer- 
sity, and, more minutely speaking, the scholarship of the 
Divinity School of the university. The editors of the 
Biblical World are professors in the university, and are 
Baptists. They are certainly good professors, but how 
they can be good Baptists, and admit the doctrine of 
baptism for the purpose of obtaining remission of sins, is 
another question which ought to be addressed to the 
Biblical World. — New England Messenger, 

The framers of the Westminster Confession of Faith, 
under Question 165, " What is baptism? " quote John iii. 15 
and Tit. iii. 5, to prove that it is a washing with water 
and a ^^ sign of remission of sms." 

From the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church, 
published in 1821, pp. 144 and 145, we read : 

Chap. XXVIIT. Of Baptism. Baptism is a sacrament 
of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only 
for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the 
visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of 
the covenant of grace, of his engrafting into Christ, of re- 
generation, of remission of sins, etc. 

Dr. Albert Barnes (Presbyterian), so justly renowned 
in this country for his learning and candor, in his coai- 
ments on Acts ii. 38, says : 

For the remission of sins. Not merely of the sin of cru- 
cifying the Messiah, but of all sin. There is nothing in 
baptism itself that can wash away sin. That can only be 
done by the pardoning mercy of God through the atone- 
ment of Christ. But baptism is expressive of a willing- 
ness to be pardoned in that way, and is a solemn declara- 
tion of our conviction that there is no other way of re- 
mission. 

Dr. Hackett, one of America's most honored scholars, 
and one of the most eminent commentators among the 
Baptists, says of Acts ii. 38 : 

For the remission of sins we connect naturally with both 
the preceding verbs. This clause states the motive or ob- 
ject which should induce them to repent and be baptized- 
It enforces the entire exhortation, not one part to the ex- 
clusion of the other. — Com. on Acts, p. 53. 

Timothy Dwight, the greatest rabbi of Congregation- 
alism the New World has produced, says : 



SERUOm AND ADDRESSED. 345 

To he horn again is precisely the same thing as to be 
born of water and the Spirit. ... To be born of water is 
to be baptized. 

He who, understanding the nature and the authority of 
this institution, refuses to be baptized, will never enter 
INTO THE VISIBLE NOR INVISIBLE KINGDOM OF GoD. Nu- 
merous quotations might be added from the various 
religious scholars to prove that "immersion for the re- 
mission of sins " was practiced by the primitive church, 
and hence is a sure mark of identity. The better the 
world understands the Bible, the nearer it comes to the 
position occupied by the Church of Christ. 



HOW TO KNOW THE TRUE CHURCH. 

" Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good." — Paul. 

I. Compare Creed with That Received by First 
Christians. Then simply, "I believe that Christ Jesus 
is the Son of God " (Matt. xvi. 16; Acts viii. 37). 

II. Compare Name with Name Acknowledged by 
First Christians. Then disciples, saints, household of 
God (Acts xi. 26 ; Acts xxvi. 28 ; I. Pet. iv. 16 ; Phil. i. 1 ; 
Eph. iii. 19). 

III. Compare Church Government with That of 
First Christians. Then elders, deacons, pastors and 
evangelists (Acts xiv. 23 ; I. Tim. iii. 8 ; Eph. iv. 11). 

IV. Compare Ordinances with Those Practiced by 
First Christians. Then two. Baptism and Lord's Sup- 
per (Acts ii. 38; Rom. vi. 4, 5 ; Acts ii. 42 ; I. Cor. xi. 
23-27). 

V. Compare Method op Receiving Members and 
Withdrawing with That op First Christians. Receiv- 
ing members : (1) Confession of name of Jesus (Acts viii. 
37 ; Acts ii. 38); (2) Baptism (Acts ii. 41 ; Acts x. 47, 48); 
Withdrawing (II. Thess. iii. 6-15). 

Wherever you find a body of people practicing these 
things, there you find the true Church of Christ. 

Nelsonville, O. John A. Jayne. 



346 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

THE THREE INCONTROVERTIBLE ARGUMENTS 
IN FAVOR OP BAPTISM FOR REMIS- 
SION OF SINS. 

We have three arguments in favor of baptism " for re- 
mission of sins," as advocated and contended for by us, 
which we regard as incontrovertible and irrefutable. We 
introduce them together here, not that they have never 
before been presented or made use of, either in speaking 
or writing, but that we may impress them upon the mind 
of the reader in such a manner that they can never be for- 
gotten. 

1. Remission of sins is to be obtained by the believing 
alien, either in Christ or out of Him. This must be ob- 
vious to every one, and admitted by all. If obtained out 
of Him, then it can not be in Him, and vice versa. If out 
of Him, then we must seek out of Him for the means or 
plan of remission ; but if in Him, then we must seek for it 
there. Now, how are we to determine where it is to be 
found ? The word of God must decide. Paul says : " In 
whom [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the 
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace " 
(Eph. i. 7). Remission, then, is to be found or obtained 
in Christ, not out of Him. In order to obtain it, then, if 
out of Christ, we must get into Him ; for we must be either 
in Christ or out of Him. As it is in Christ, the question is, 
how are we to get into Christ in order to obtain or enjoy 
the remission that is in Him ? We are left at no loss here : 
"We are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ ; 
for as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on 
Christ " (Gal. ii. 26, 27). It is, then, by baptism that we get 
into Christ, where remission of sins is to be obtained or 
enjoyed ; therefore baptism is " for the remission of sins, '» 
as preached by the apostles and contended for by us. 
Hence, says Paul, '• If any man be in Christ, he is a new 
creature; old things are passed away ; behold, all things are 
become new" (II. Cor. v. 17). The old relations in which 
he stood to God and his fellow-men are changed, and he 
occupies a new state and new relations. And how beauti- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 347 

fully coincides with this the following: * ' We are buried with 
him by baptism into death ; that like as Christ was raised 
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we 
also should walk in newness of life. . . . Knowing also, 
that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of 
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not 
serve sin " (Rom. vi. 4-6). 

2. We are said, in the passage first quoted above, to 
*'have redemption through his blood, even the forgive- 
ness of sins." Again, "Unto him that loved us and 
washed us from our sins in his own blood, " etc. (Rev. i. 5). 
Jesus, speaking of the shedding of His blood, says, " This 
is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many 
for the remission of sins" (Matt. xxvi. 28). "Without 
the shedding of blood there is no remission " (Heb. ix. 
22). Most evident it is, then, from these passages, that 
we must receive remission of sins through the blood of 
Christ, as the alone-procuring cause of remission. Now, 
how are we to do it? By finding where the blood of 
Christ was shed, and coming into contact with it "by 
faith in his blood. " Now, where did Jesus shed His blood? 
—In his death or out of it? — Before or after? If before, 
or out of His death, then we must be cleansed from our 
sins there ; but if after, or in His death, then it must be 
there. John is the only one of the four writers of the 
" Gospels " who records the shedding of His blood, and he 
is particular in showing that he did not shed his blood 
until after he was dead or in his death : " Then came the 
soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other 
that was crucified w'th him. But when they came to 
Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not 
his legs ; but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his 
side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" 
(John xix. 32-34). Now, since Christ shed his blood in 
his death, how are we to get into his death in order to 
obtain or enjoy this remission by being cleansed from our 
sins through his blood? The reply is at hand : "Know ye 
not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ 
were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried 
with him by bap^^^j'^m into death," etc. (Rom. vi. 3, 4). It 



348 TWENTIETH CENTVkY 

is, then, by baptism that we get into the death of Christ, 
where alone remission of sins is to be enjoyed by ''faith 
in his blood. " Hence the water and the blood must go 
together, as he shed out of his side "blood and water." 
With this also accords the language of John in his first 
Epistle, in speaking of the sonship of Christ : " This is he 
that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ ; not by 
water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit, 
that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. . . . 
There are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, 
and the water, and the blood ; and these agree in one " (I. 
John V. 6-8). 

3. Remission of sins is also by baptism, through the 
name of Christ. "To him give all the prophets witness, 
that through his name whosoever believeth in him shaU 
receive remission of sins " (Acts x. 43). Mark that it does 
not read, as often misquoted, that "whosoever believeth 
in him shall receive the remission of sins [by faith alone] ;" 
but, " through his name." These words were spoken by 
Peter at the house of Cornelius. How did the believers 
there receive remission of sins through the name of 
Christ? "He commanded them to be baptized in the 
name of the Lord " (Acts x. 48). It was by being bap- 
tized in his name for remission of sins. Hence the har- 
mony between the commission as recorded by Luke and 
the acting out of that commission by Peter on Pentecost. 
Jesus said: "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved 
Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day ; 
and that repentance and remission of sins should be 
preached in his name among all nations, beginning at 
Jerusalem" (Luke xxiv. 46, 47). Peter preached "re- 
pentance" when he said, "Repent" to the inquiring 
penitents; and he preached "remission of 'sins in the 
name of Jesus " when he said, "Be baptized every one of 
you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of 
sins " (Acts ii. 38). In the case of Paul, also, we have the 
same connection between baptism, remission, and the 
name of the Lord. "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away 
thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord " (Actsxxii. 16). 
Hence the references made elsewhere to the name of the 



S:EliMONS AND ADDRESSES. 34d 

Lord : "When they heard this, they were baptized in the 
name of the Lord Jesus " (Acts xix. 5). " When they be- 
lieved Philip preaching the things concerning the king- 
dom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were 
baptized, both men and women. . . . For as yet he 
[the Holy Spirit] was fallen on none of them ; only they 
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus " (Acts viii. 
12-16). Seeinfif, from all these Scriptures, that remission 
of sins is through the name of Christ, and that His name 
is inseparably connected with baptism in remission, it 
follows that baptism is for remission as we contend for. 
Thus we have three incontrovertible arguments in favor of 
baptism for remission of sins, which we have presented. 
If anything can be offered to destroy them, it will destroy 
remission itself ! But the truth has nothing to fear. 
*' Great is the truth, and mighty above all things, and 
will prevail." — J. R. H., in Millennial Harbinger for 1847 ^ 
pp. 653, 654. 



350 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



THE ELDERSHIP.^ 

As a rule, if the head and heart are sound, the whole 
body will be free from disease ; it will enjoy a healthy 
growth, and be able to accomplish its mission. If the 
head is diseased, or weak, it can not perform its proper 
functions, and the whole body will become more or less 
affected. This is just as true of political or ecclesiastical 
bodies as it is of the human body. This principle is well 
understood in the literary and commercial world as well. 
The Church of Christ, in order best to accomplish its 
mission, must be the purest and best organized society on 
earth. So long as men can point to real defects in the or- 
ganization of the church, and in its operations, just so long 
will the church fail to move men as it should, or command 
their respect. 

If there is one thing that the Church of Christ needs 
to-day more than another, it is a restored eldership. By 
your clemency, brethren, I propose a series of brief arti- 
cles on what I conceive to be a much-neglected subject ; 
a subject that is sadly in need of attention. I only wish a 
more experienced hand was to guide this pencil. I shall 
use such aids as I can command. First, then, let the 
terms be defined. 

The New Testament names given to the persons usually 
called elders, are bishops, overseers, pastors or shepherds, 
and teachers. These names are all used to point out the 
same class of officers. This may be verified by comparing 
the following Scriptures : Acts xx. 17, 28. Here Luke 
calls the same persons elders and overseers, and exhorts 
them to be shepherds or pastors to the flock. In Tit. i. 
5-9 Paul uses the words elder and bishop interchangeably. 
In I. Pet. V. 1, 2, "The elders which are among you I ex- 
hort, whom am also an elder, and a witness of the suffer- 
ings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall 
be revealed ; act as shepherds of the flock of God which is 

* A reprint from tiie Christian Oracle. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 351 

among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by con. 
straint, but willingly ; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready 
mind." Here Peter exhorts the elders to be "shepherds 
to the flock of G-od, ' ' and to take the episcopacy (bishopric) 
or oversight thereof. Hence it is clear that in the minds 
of Paul and of Peter, the elders and bishops were the same 
officers, and they were to be teachers and shepherds of the 
church over which the Holy Spirit had made them overseers. 

The young reader may ask, " Why call the same officer 
by so many dift'erent names ? ' ' We answer — Elder (Greek, 
presbuteros) means an old man. Wisdom is gained only by 
age and experience. And as much wisdom would be 
needed in guiding the church through her trials, the 
greatest care was to be taken in choosing men of age, and 
of ripe experience, for this Heaven-ordained work. Over- 
seer (Gr. episcopos) means guardian or superintendent. 
Bishop (Gr. episcopos) means the same as overseer. It was 
the duty of the elder to oversee, or superintend the church 
in all its departments of work. Pastor (Gr. poimeen) is a 
word that is most shamefully abused. With a large class 
of people, almost any one can be a pastor. The young 
man, yet in his teens, living remote from the flock, and 
seeing them but once a month, is called its pastor. The 
word means to feed, to do the work of a shepherd. Not 
one day in the month, nor two, but every day ; constant 
watch-care. Teacher (Gr. didaskalos) means a teacher or 
master. Paul says the bishop must be "apt to teach." 
One of the high functions, then, of the bishop or pastor is 
to teach. 

Thus we see a fitness in calling the same officer by so 
many names. Elders, because of their age. Bishops or 
overseers, because it is their duty to see over all that per- 
tains to the best interests of the church. Pastors or shep- 
herds, because they are to be shepherds over their flocks, 
" to watch for their souls. " Teachers, because it is a very 
important duty to instruct those under their charge. 

In looking out the qualities necessary to fit a man for 
the office of bishop, we have no guide but the New Testa- 
ment. It is the ancient bishop which we wish to spy out 
and examine, not the modern one. If the twentieth- 



352 T WEN TIE TH CENTUR Y 

century bishop is found who is as "tall" as the first-cen- 
tury bishop, we should thank God and take courage. The 
rare qualifications needed to fit one for this office, speak 
in unmistakable terms of the delicate duties to be per- 
formed by those who are called to the high and holy office 
of watching for the souls of Christians, "over whom the 
Holy Spirit has made them overseers." 

1. "A bishop must be blameless,'' a man who can not be 
proven to be guilty of evil deeds. Bear in mind the strong 
expression '^ must he f' is understood to precede every 
qualification as it does the first and the last, as is men- 
tioned in I. Tim. iii. 2-7. 

2. He must be the '^ husband of one wife.'' Some 
writers understand Paul to mean that polygamy only dis- 
qualifies a man for the office of bishop, and that he does 
not teach that a man must have a wife. I have no way of 
arriving at the meaning of Paul only by what he says. 
He says he must be the husband of one wife. If .a man has 
never been married, he is not a husband at all, and hence 
is disqualified at this point. This position is made invul- 
rerable by verses 4 and 5. It is said that " celibacy is not 
an evil." From this it is argued that it would not be a 
bar to the office. The same might be said of the lack of 
ability to be "apt to teach; "it is not a crime, but it 
effectually disqualifies a man. Being a novice is not a 
crime, but it is a bar. If the man has not been married, 
he has no family to rule over ; no children to " have in 
subjection ; " and hence he lacks that which is needful to 
develop his ruling powers ; and having no opportunity to 
test his ability in this rare gift, the church can not tell 
whether he possesses the gift or not. The Holy Spirit 
says " prove them. " At this point the unmarried man can 
not be proven, and the church can not afford to take the 
risk. It is because the church ventures so much along 
these lines, that we have so many wrecks of churches, and 
limping congregations. 

3. ' ' Vigilant. ' ' Watchful of himself and of the church 
over which he has the oversight. 

4. ^^ Sober." Habitually temperate in all things. Not 
proceeding with passion ; calm ; a man of sober judgment. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 353 

A commendable qualification that will often be called into 
requisition. 

5- ^^ Of good behavior.'* An ill-mannered and uncouth 
man is unfit to rule the church of G-od. He must be a man 
of polite demeanor, and courteous with those with whom 
he has to do. 

6. ^^ Given to hospitalify.'* Such a man will care for 
strangers and the poor and needy. He will be the good 
Samaritan of the congregation. 

7. ^'Apt to teach.'' He should have a clear understand- 
ing of the "plan of salvation, " and be able to unfold it to 
others. Every bishop must be a teacher. If he is not a 
teacher, he is not a Scriptural bishop, and had better not 
be trying to fill an office that the Holy Spirit never called 
him to fill. 

8. ^'Xot given to wine." A bishop must not be a wine- 
bibber. He must have nothing to do with intoxicants, 
but to abhor them. I am sure if Paul were writing these 
instructions to-day he would add, a bishop must not sign 
a petition for a saloon, nor vote for a man who winks at 
the rum traffic. For, which is the worst, to sign the per- 
mit or sell the stuff ? To lay the plot for murder or fire 
the fatal shot ? I know of a church that is ruled over by a 
so-called elder who signed the rumseller's petition, God 
pity a congregation that is ruled over by a friend of 
Bacchus. 

9. ^^N^o striker.'' Not quarrelsome, but a peaceful man, 
for how can you expect the children to live in peace if the 
head of the family is continually on the " war-path " ? 

10. ^^ Not greedy of filthy lucre." He must not love 
money so well as to seek to gain it by base means. He 
must not rent his buildings for grog-shops, nor gamble on 
the Board of Trade. 

11. ^'Patient." Enduring many things for Christ's 
sake. 

12. ^^Not a brawler.'* Not a noisy fellow, no wrangler, 
gentle and mild of speech. 

13. "iVb^ covetous. " Not to be a lover of money. 

14. ^^ One that rules well his own house, having his children 
in subjection with all gravity." If he has no "house " or 



354 T WENT IE TH CENT UR Y 

family to rule, how will the church know if he has the 
ability to rule the church of God ? . 

15. "iVoi a novice,'' and the apostle tells why. ''Lest 
being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation 
of the devil." 

16. ^'Ife must have a good report of them that are without " 
— without the church — "lest he fall into reproach and the 
snare of the devil. " Such are the essential qualificatioDS 
that must attach to every person who is called to be a 
bishop or overseer in the Church of Christ. Those who 
lack these qualifications, have no business to touch the 
house of God. 

The Church of Christ is the most important kingdom 
on earth. " It is to break in pieces and consume all other 
kingdoms, and stand forever. " The law of the kingdom 
must needs endure and be faithfully administered, if the 
largest results would be obtained. Hence the need of men 
with a combination of gifts that is rare, even in this age, 
and what must it have been then ? Did you ever thought- 
fully read I. Timothy iii., and ponder upon the man there 
described? Into the hands of the men who were to be 
chosen as bishops, was to be committed the most sacred 
trust. " Watching for their souls " is a fearful responsi- 
bility. No wonder the Holy Spirit will have none to 
occupy this high place but the characters described. It is 
the first duty of the pastor, or bishop, to be well ac- 
quainted with his flock. To know them by name. To 
know something about how well they are informed, that 
he may know what kind of food they need. 

The church record should be kept free from dead 
material. A faithful bishop will know that good and 
wholesome discipline is the life of the church. No organ- 
ization can prosper or command the respect of the people 
while it carries immoral persons in its fellowship. 
"Keep thyself pure, "may apply with great force to a 
congregation as well as to an individual. 

It is the duty of bishops or pastors to protect the 
flock. If some are indiscreet and they are likely to suft'er 
on account of it, the bishop should warn them of their 
danger and kindly admonish them to a little more pru- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 355 

dence. Some evil and designing person may seek to en- 
trap the innocent and unsuspecting. Let the bishop sur- 
round them as with a wall of fire, and save them from the 
*' snare of the evil one." 

"Feeding the flock of God" is one of the important 
duties. Without food we can not grow. But we can not 
live on anything. The food must be good and nutritious. 
All are not able to use strong meat. Some must be fed on 
milk. It will require some wisdom on the part of the 
bishop in order to know how best to administer the food. 
But the feeding and nurturing must be done, or the body 
will be undeveloped and a weak and sickly growth will 
breed disease and death. "Apt to teach " does not neces- 
sarily imply that it must be done publicly. Much very 
valuable teaching may be done in private. A few well- 
chosen words may save a soul from death and hide a mul- 
titude of sins. "In season and out of season," as oppor- 
tunity offers. A gentle word to a young member, a word 
of encouragement to the down-hearted, of warning to the 
careless and of " praise to the deserving." "Words fitly 
spoken are like apples of gold in pictures of silver," and 
may do a world of good to the needy. 

Some, from a misconception of the ordinance, fail to 
take the Lord's Supper. They fear they "will eat and 
diink damnation to themselves," because they feel un- 
worthy. Teach them that it is the eating and the drinking 
in an unworthy manner, not discerning the Lord's body. 
We need to feel unworthy, for we are ; but we can feel un- 
worthy and partake of the emblems representing the 
body and blood of Christ in a worthy manner, remember- 
ing why we do it, and what for. 

Let the bishops fail not to encourage the young to 
pray, and to teach them how. It is not because of many 
words, or the beautiful way in which they are put to- 
gether, that makes the prayer acceptable. Prayer is a 
petition, asking for what we need. Let the bishop in- 
struct the church to study to know the needs and wants, 
and then, in the simplest way, ask God for them. Be not 
discouraged because the prayer is not answered when and 
where and how you may think it should be. God knows 



356 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

best. You may be able to answer a great many of your 
own prayers ; if so, God will expect you to do it. If you 
pray, "keep me from evil," don't go where the evil is. If 
it comes in your way, flee from it. If you pray God to 
forgive you, remember the answer is conditioned on your 
"forgiving those who trespass against you." 

Some Christians seem not to derive much comfort or 
enjoyment from religion. They seem not to know that 
they are forgiven. The sfodly bishop may clear up this 
spiritual horizon, and lighten many of the burdens of life. 
Remind them that God says, "I will forgive," and. when 
we do what He asks, we trust Him for the promise. 

The Book says : "He that believeth and is immersed 
shall be saved. " Saved from past sins -pardoned, justi- 
fied, redeemed. The young converts need not guess at 
this ; teach them that God plainly says so. From the 
time they obey Christ and are forgiven of all past offenses, 
they begin to live a new life. The Christian's law of par- 
don is repentance and prayer, so that when we lie down to 
sleep there need not be a sin charged against us. Oh, 
there is no end to the teaching a faithful and pious bishop 
may do in " feeding the flock of God, over which the Holy 
Spirit has made you overseers." Give us a restored bish- 
opric and you will give us a restored church. God knows 
we need it. 

Bear in mind the truth ; viz.: the Scriptural elder and 
bishop, or shepherd and pastor, are the same person. 
We have abuse 1 and misapplied the word " pastor " until it 
has come to mean the preacher only. The preacher may 
or he may not be a bishop or pastor over the flock. If he 
is qualified to preach or teach the " word of God," and 
lives within the limits of the congregation, he may be a 
bishop in that place. If he lives remote from the people 
for whom he preaches, and visits them occasionally, he 
can not have a constant watch-care over the flock. His 
brief stays with them will not acquaint him with their 
wants, and hence he can not know how to care for them, 
and hence is disqualified. He can not be a Scriptural pas- 
tor under such surroundings. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 357 

"Feeding the flock of God. ' ' Suppose some of the flock 
became diseased? It may be for want of proper food ; or 
it may be because the pastor has not fed them enough ; or 
he may have fed them too much. From either cause the 
need of discipline may arise. If the church is not prop- 
erly taught, some one will go wrong, and the work will 
drag heavily. Let the bishop teach the church properly, 
and penal discipline will seldom need to be resorted to. 
Public rebukes are very unpleasant, but, if rightly admin- 
istered, may prove very profitable. The object of all 
discipline is to save the offending party, and purify 
the church. The withdrawal of the fellowship of the 
church is the last remedy. In many instances the with- 
drawing of the fellowship is done in such a careless and un- 
scriptural way that more harm than good is done. Many 
do not know what it is to withdraw the fellowship of the 
church. They seem to think it is to withhold the loaf and 
the cup. Far from it. When the emblems pass down the 
seat you can not prevent the man from partaking if he 
wishes. Eating the Supper was not in the mind of the 
Holy Spirit when He taught the apostle to say, "Put 
away that unworthy brother from among you." "Note 
that man and keep no company with him." 

But what is it to " withdraw from a brother that 
walketh disorderly " ? Let us illustrate by an example. 
A brother walks disorderly. Some one of the bishops 
speaks to him of his impropriety, and tenderly admonishes 
him. He pays no regard to it. He is visited again, 
prayed with and the bishops plead with him, and warn 
him, with tears, of the danger and death that await him, 
if he shall continue in his ungodly way. And thus the 
bishops continue until they have exhausted every known 
means. They lay the case before the church, stating in 
detail what they have done to save the brother, but all to 
no purpose. Still willing to be as lenient as the welfare 
of the church will justify, the ruling elder says: "Breth- 
ren, after all we have done, we are willing to do more if 
we can. If there is any brother or sister who thinks he 
can save the brother, we will gladly stay proceedings 
until the effort is made." No one responds. What is the 



358 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

next step? Shall the bishop ask for a vote of the church 
to decide if they shall put away this unworthy brother ? 
This would be equivalent to voting to see if they should 
obey the " word of God. " On the other hand, let the pre- 
siding bishop briefly rehearse what has been done, stating 
the results. Then with the New Testament open, let him 
proceed to say, " In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
and in obedience to the command of the Holy Spirit, we 
this day put this unworthy brother away from among us," 
and close the proceedings with a solemn prayer that the 
brother may yet be saved. 

What now is the attitude of the church toward this 
one? He is still a brother and a member of the body of 
Christ. The action of the church can not sever his relation 
with the church. It can only withhold its fellowship. 
But what is that? Let Paul answer — "Note that man, 
that ye have no company with him." Don't visit with 
him as you did. "Put him away from among you." 
Cast him out from your society, and from your private 
favors. But what fcr? Let Paul answer. " To the end 
that he may be ashamed." Would you not be ashamed of 
yourself if the best people would not associate with you. 

But have we entirely thrown this brother away? No. 
Paul says, "Treat him not as an enemy, but admonish 
him as a brother." At proper times let the bishop seek 
an interview with him, and assure him of the anxiety the 
church still has for him. He might respond, "It does not 
seem much like the church cares for me, since none of the 
members visit with me any more. " The bishop can reply, 
" My brother, you would not listen to the church, but by 
your conduct compelled us to ' withdraw our fellowship, ' 
which means, to ' put you away from among us, ' and 
* keep no company with you that you may be ashamed, ' 
repent of your wrong-doing and live a consistent Christian 
life. In our conduct toward you we have been very 
patient, as you know, and have used every means to bring 
you to repentance, but all to no purpose ; the last resort 
was to inflict the Scriptural penalty, which is to ' put 
away the unworthy brother from among us ;' this we have 
done in obedience to God's law ; but we shall continue to 



sehmons and addresses. 359 

pray for you, that you may see the error of your ways and 
ask to be restored to the fellowship of the church. " If 
such a course fails, there is no known remedy, and the 
man will go back to the weak and beggarly elements of 
the world, and be eternally lost, but the eldership will not 
be to blame. 

The bishops of the church must so conduct themselves 
as to command the respect of the members ; and their 
rulings be such as to impress the church with the idea 
that it is not a light matter to disobey a bishop of the 
Church of Christ. If a man having the Scriptural qualifi- 
cations is called by the church to the office of bishop, he is 
to all intents and purposes called of God. Why not, since 
it is the word of God that the church follows in " looking 
out " the man ? The church is the agent of God, in trans- 
acting all business on earth that pertains to the kingdom 
of God, or, what is the same thing, the Church of Christ. 
Then we should teach the young Christian to know that 
when the bishop is in the line of his duty, and he disre- 
gards, slights or disobeys him, he disobeys God. Paul 
says, '' Obey them that have the rule over you. " 

We have so many bishops who are only such in name 
and so few who come up to the standard, that the office is 
in bad repute. A congregation is far better off without 
officers, than to be burdened as many are, with a set of 
incompetent men who are a disgrace to the high office. 
The very idea of a man filling the high office of bishop of 
the Church of Christ, a spiritual adviser in the kingdom of 
God's dear Son, who never prays in public, but who can 
discuss politics by the hour ; or one who will tell vile 
stories ; or visit a saloon ; or drive a sharp trade with his 
neighbor, and then laugh about it ; or sign a saloon-keeper's 
petition, or rent his building for a saloon. Such an idea 
is revolting in the extreme. The bishop who does not 
know who the deacons are, or does not know the names of 
the members, or has not seen the church record for a year, 
or does not know the name of the song-book used by the 
congregation, is, to say th-e least, too careless a man to oc- 
cupy a responsible position. It is sad to know that all 
over the country you can find congregations that are limp- 



360 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

ing along at a snail's pace because of such officers as above 
described. 

Many young preachers naake a mistake when they or- 
ganize a congregation, by having men appointed to tbe 
office of bishop when they know but little of their qualifi- 
cations. Don't think that a congregation can not live, 
and flourish too, without a full corps of officers. Paul 
and his traveling companions preached and organized 
churches throughout Crete. Sometime afterwards, I do 
not know how long, he sent Titus to ordain elders in 
every city (Tit. i. 5). Don't be in haste to perfect the or- 
ganization. "Lay hands suddenly on no man." ''Let 
them first be proven. " In due time, if you find you have 
men who fill the qualifications, elect them to the office of 
bishop and deacon. Remember that electing them does not 
make them officers, no more than electing a man to be 
governor, makes him governor. The officer-elect must 
take the oath before he can enter upon the duties of the 
office. So the bishops and the deacons elect must be set 
apart to their respective offices by fasting, prayer and im- 
position of hands, before they can enter upon the duties of 
their offices. 

The chief reason why the bishopric has fallen so far 
below par and so little respect is had for the office, grows 
out of the careless and thoughtless way that men are 
called to fill the office. Without any previous preparation, 
suitable to fix the mind of the congregation upon the im- 
portance of the work, and the qualifications needed to 
make one eligible to the office, some one says, " Brethren, 
we are to elect an elder this morning ; will some one name 
a man?" A voice, "I nominate Bro. A." " Bro. A is 
named, do I hear a second?" A voice, "I second the 
nomination." The motion is put, and Bro. A is elected, 
Probably a large number of the voters could not name a 
single Scriptural qualification needed to fit one for the 
office. This is all that is done. No solemnity surrounds 
the occasion. The man is never solemnly, and in the 
presence of the whole assembly, and with fitting remarks, 
set apart to his high calling by fasting and prayer and 
imposition of hands. The political law does not call a 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 361 

street commissioner or road supervisor in such a careless 
way. It is a shame that we care for the " house of God " 
with so little interest. It is a disgrace to the "kingdom 
of God's dear Son " that its citizens use so little common 
sense in administering the affairs of our King. 

In choosing officers, let a competent committee be called 
to deliberate upon the matter, to take under advisement 
the great importance of the work, and to look out men 
who have the requisite qualifications for this very import- 
ant lifetime work. The length of the office is, for good 
and sufficient reasons, during life or good behavior. 

Not long since I heard a college president give an ad- 
dress on the eldership. It was a remarkable speech. For 
extravagant statements, and a wholesale condemnation of 
• the position of our best Biblical scholars, I never heard it 
excelled. The principal point labored for in the harangue 
was the length of time the elder should hold his office. 
On this subject there is no direct statement in the New 
Testament. I believe it to be universally true that where 
common sense is capable of directing, the Holy Spirit 
never lays down a law. 

The bishops or elders in the primitive church were 
chosen from among the old men, because, as a rule, ripe 
age brings a rich experience, accompanied with wisdom 
such as can not be found attaching to the young life. 

There is but one office known to me that is more im- 
portant, if indeed it be, than the office of elder in the 
Church of Christ. No higher duties devolve upon you, 
and no graver responsibilities rest with any man, than 
with the elder, bishop or overseer of a congregation of 
Christians. The consequences of faithful work, or the re- 
sults of neglected duty, have to do with the souls of men, 
and hence is as far-reaching as eternity, and will bring 
joy or grief according as the work shall be good or bad. 
Hence we find the Holy Spirit exacting such qualifications 
as will eminently fit a man to hold this sacred and fear- 
fully responsible office. The church has no jurisdiction in 
the matter, and hence has no right to call a man to this 
holy office who does not fill the qualifications. 



362 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

When the church Scripturally calls a man to take his 
place as one of the elders of the congregation, for how 
leng is he called ? On this point the constitution of 
Christ's kingdom does not speak expressly. We raise 
the question then, what is the most natural conclusion ? 
Let us see. The office is created by divine will. The 
kind of men to fill the office is specifically pointed out. 
Their duties are enumerated. But not a word is said 
about how long the man is to continue in office. I argue 
that the most natural conclusion to which one could come 
is, that he is to hold the office so long as he fills the 
qualifications and discharges his duties. These are my 
reasons : 

1. The longer a man continues to perform the duties of 
any office, the better he is qualified for his work, unless he 
is hindered by infirmity of body or mind. 

2. To remove a man from the eldership who is better 
prepared to perform his duties at the time of his removal, 
than on the day of his installation, is exceedingly unwise. 
It is exactly equivalent to saying, ''We are making too 
rapid progress. We must retrograde awhile." 

3. The apostle teaches us that these men are to be 
proven. If the congregation has been well cared for up to 
the time Bro. A is called to the eldership, there may be no 
need of a case of discipline in a year or more. Under 
such and other circumstances, it might require two or 
three years to prove the man. And his term of office ex- 
pires just when he begins to demonstrate his fitness for 
the place. So that, instead of it being the time for the 
man to retire, it is the time to attend to the solemnities 
of the office, and set him apart to the work whereunto he 
was called, by fasting, prayer and imposition of hands. 
But, you might urge that the congregation could continue 
him in the work. Since he was elected for a term of 
years, and the time has expired, he can not take up the 
duties of the office without a re-election. This would be a 
useless and unbusinesslike way of doing, since he is 
already called to the work, and as he has been proven and 
found worthy, the only thing that remains is to complete 
the work by installing him into office. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 363 

4. By long continuance in office one becomes familiar 
with the work, and well acquainted with the peculiar 
qualifications of his fellow-workers, so that the eldership 
can divide up their work to much greater profit. 

5. So long as the elder continues to " behave himself in 
the house of God, which is the church of the living God, " 
no good reason can be assigned why he should be removed 
to give place to an untried man. 

The brother who delivered the address on the eldership 
stated a sad truth when he said, "The question of the 
eldership is the weak spot in our management of church 
affairs." The chief reason is because the church is so 
little taught on this vital question. If the teaching advo- 
cated by this college president should become generally 
accepted, the eldership would dwindle into a poor, weakly, 
sickly plant, without life enough to command respect. 
Every departure from the Scriptural plan weakens the 
cause. 

When the church was formed it was adapted to man's 
real needs and wants. It was not formed to meet the 
temporal wants of a party. It was not made for time. 
Its laws are not human, neither are they subject to 
change. The penalty for the violation of God's law is ad- 
ministered here and hereafter. Hence, there is no kind 
of comparison between our political offices in petty gov- 
ernments and the office in a spiritual empire that is world- 
wide, and is to last forever. 

In the Southeast Iowa Convention an argument was 
used in favor of short terms of office for the eldership 
that was quite amusing to a good many of the delegates. 
The speaker was trying to show how difficult it was to get 
rid of an elder before his time expired. He said, "It is as 
dangerous to get rid of an elder as it is to cut off a man's 
third leg. " And he pictured a scene before us of a sur- 
geon cutting off a man's " third leg. " We did not know 
that it was any more difficult to cut off a man's "third 
leg" than cut off his first leg, provided he had a "third 
leg." But, supposing a case that never happened, and in 
all probability never will happen, in order to build an 
argument against lifelong tenure in office, was such a 



364 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

novel and sublime (?) argument that it well-nigh took the 
convention's breath. Then he raised the question, " Who 
would think of arguing that the President or Senators 
should hold their office for life ?" and brought it down to 
the janitor of the meeting-house. This is almost as 
sublime as the "three-legged" argument. Putting the 
divine government, and the administration of its laws, 
upon a par with human government, is certainly grading 
the divine very low. If we had a divine law minutely 
pointing out what a man must be before he can be eligible 
to the office of President, etc., then there might be some 
slight comparison between the two ; but, as it is, the 
argument, if it can be called such, is unworthy of the 
least attention. 

Again the president says, '' Lifelong office tends to 
arrogance. " Arrogance, haughtiness, lordliness, pride, 
disdain and overbearing are all the same thing. A more 
dangerous polity could hardly exist, nor one that would 
more effectively disqualify a man for the office of elder or 
overseer of a congregation. The Holy Spirit says the 
elder "must not be a lord over God's heritage, but must 
be an example to the flock" (I. Pet. v. 3). If he violates 
this very important rule, he disqualifies himself for the 
office. The remedy is at hand. The power that gave 
him his office can take it from him, and must do it, if the 
welfare of the cause demand it. The Holy Spirit did not 
see fit to mention the length of office, but left it to the ripe 
judgment of the church to determine what would be best. 
If in the mind of the Holy Spirit a term of years, two, 
three or five, is the divine plan, as the president's argu- 
ment runs, then it is a sad and fatal mistake that the 
Holy Spirit did not plainly say so. Why ? Because we 
find that a large majority of the best thinkers in the 
church have been, and are, in favor of the lifelong office of 
elder, as I will prove before I get through. This proves, 
if the president is right, that the Holy Spirit erred in 
leaving this matter to be determined by the best judgment 
of the church. This proves too much, and hence proves 
nothing. If the "lifelong office of elder tends to arro- 
gance," did not the Holy Spirit know it ? And if He did 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 365 

know it, why not guard this fatal place into which the 
church has fallen, by clearly stating the number of years 
that the elder must hold his office ? 

Again, our brother says : " It is impossible to choose 
wisely for so long a time." If the church understands 
herself, she does not choose for any term of years, long or 
short, but as long as the elder ''behaves himself in the 
house of God," which is the church of Christ. As long as 
he fills the measure. When he comes short, and will not 
make amends, he is no longer fit for the office, and the 
cause must not suffer shame by allowing him to continue. 
We choose for as long a time as the qualifications last on 
which we based our choice. And the chances are largely 
in favor of a good man's growing better and better all the 
time. So if we knew such a man would live a thousand 
years, it would be wise to call him to rule over the church. 
If, at any time, he should depart from the requirements 
and qualifications on which the church based its call to the 
eldership, by virtue of his own action he ceases to be the man 
chosen. 

Again, the president says: "Very few can hold the 
office without same mismanagement." He need not have 
excepted any, since we are all human. But this is a 
strong argument in favor of long-term eldership. Every 
mistake the good man makes is an educator. In ruling 
or guiding the church, he would rarely repeat the 
mistake. He has a carefully detailed divine law to guide 
him, and needs a long service to become an adept and feel 
at home in his work. The practice of placing a man in a 
holy office, where he is expected to become thoroughly 
acquainted with this work, and then remove him just 
about the time he begins to develop, is mere child's play. 
It is nothing less than absurd. The man proves by his 
work that he has a talent for this hard-to-fill place. Will 
the church deprive him of the opportunity to develop his 
talent, and thus dwarf his growth ? Truly, this would be a 
novel way of encouraging the disciples in their ''growth in 
grace and in the knowledge of the truth as it is in Christ. ' ' 
We come now to deal with the first argument advanced 
bC'Ci'c the convention in opposition to long continuance in 



366 TWENTIETH CENTVUY 

the office of elder. Here it is : '' It is not in harmony with 
good common sense." Such a statement, coming from a 
college president, and one whom I had learned to look 
upon as a wise man, staggered me. I soliloquized, Have I 
been so grossly misled all these years ? How does it hap- 
pen that all my reading, for forty years and more, has been 
on the other side ? Are all the other presidents and editors 
and preachers and scholars wrong, and only this president 
right ? Possibly ! Has he a new revelation or a dream ? 
Knowing that some of our college professors, of late, are 
given to dreams, upon which they place more stress than 
they do upon revelation, I resolved that I would investi- 
gate this much- neglected subject, so I have read every- 
thing I could find on the subject. I wrote to a num- 
ber of such Biblical scholars as H. McDiarmid,* presi- 
dent of Bethany College ; W. J. Loos, editor of the Christian 
Guide; J. H. Garrison, editor of the Christian- Evangelist ; 
H. W. Everest,* president of the Illinois State Normal ; J. 
W. McGarvey, president of the Lexington Bible School, 
and J, A. Lord, editor ^ of the Christian Standard. In all 
this I have found nothing that hints at the practice of the 
frequent election of el Iqvs in the primitive church. 

In addition to the question, " What was the practice of 
the primitive church in this matter? " I asked them what 
they understood to be the "teaching and practice of 
our learned men on this subject from Campbell down to 
the present time." Not one of them says that any of our 
best thinkers ever advocated frequent change in the elder- 
ship. Bro. Loos says : " The teachers and clear thinkers of 
the Christian Church, from Campbell down, have recog- 
nized and taught . . . that, these men being called to their 
office for the needs and service of the kingdom, their 
tenure of office should depend directly upon their efficiency 
and ability in the office, all things being considered." 
"Efficiency and ability in office" puts it just where the 
New Testament places it. The Holy Spirit says select 
just such a man. Obey the command and the church will 
not makfe a single mistake. McDiarmid says: "Because 
some elders have claimed that their office held for life, 



*Since gone to his reward. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 367 

some churches have adopted the rule of electing for a def- 
inite period. I think such cases have been but rare." 
McGarvey says : ''It is the universal judgment of scholars 
that the primitive bishops and elders were elected without 
limitation of their time of service. Not one of our own 
leading men, I think, has ever entertained a different 
opinion." But now comes our own college president be- 
fore the convention and affirms that it is not "good com- 
mon sense to argue the life tenure of the elder's office. " 
This charges the Campbells, the Scotts and the Burnets, 
the Looses, the Pendletons and the Erretts, the scholarly 
Milligan, the critical McGarvey, the Pinkertons, Munnells, 
Jamiesons and Challens, together with a host of noble 
spirits in heaven and on earth, as not being able to teach 
with " good common sense " on this subject. 

This is a serious charge ; " the unkindest cut of all. " If 
the one is right, and the multitude wrong, what a benedic- 
tion it would have been to us who remain, had the "one" 
anticipated the many, that all might have enjoyed the 
benefit of his views, and been saved the humiliation of 
being teachers of false (?) doctrine. The first mention 
of the famous old Sycamore Street Christian Church in 
Cincinnati, is Oct. 6, 1829. In October, 1832, at an elec- 
tion of officers, James Challen and B. S. Lawson were 
elected to the office of elder for ' 'a?i indejinite period of time. " 

But says one, "If you allow the elder to remain in 
office during life or good behavior, nobody will be edu- 
cated to take his place when he goes to heaven, never hav- 
ing had an opportunity to develop talent in that direc- 
tion. " The Christian life is for the purpose of developing 
talent in whatever direction it is possible. I would keep 
the elder in office a long time in order that he may be the 
better prepared to draw out the latent powers of the 
church, and constitute it a body amply able to live after 
the old elder shall have gone to his reward. 

An overseer this year, and something else next year, 
will never make an overseer out of anybody. It is just as 
difficult to get rid of an el^'er who "lords it over God's 
heritage " at the end of two years, as it is at the end of 
twenty ; no more, no less. The same law must govern in 



S68 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

both cases. Restore the primitive elder, and restore 
primitive respect for his authority, aud you will have 
little trouble in ridding the church of the elder who proves 
recreant to his trust. Restore primitive obedience to 
them " who have the rule over you," and very little penal 
discipline will be required, and it will be administered '4n 
the name of Jesus Christ," and all the congregations will 
say amen. Restore the primitive overseer who will look 
after the spiritual interests of the Israel of God, and the 
Church of Christ will spring into new life, and the world 
will be set on fire with a zeal for God. The careless 
Christian will become converted, the sinner will be re- 
deemed, and sectarianism will receive a deathblow. Give 
me a restored eldership, and I will restore the Church o/ 
Christ to the world as it was in the beginning. 



^EEMOAii AND ADDRES>SES. 



PKEACHERS AND PEEACHINGo 

"The preacher sought to find out acceptable words; that which 
was written was upright, even words of truth." — Eccl. xii. 10. 

If the preacher is wise, he will teach the people knowl- 
edge. If he is not wise, it will be otherwise. The wise 
teacher will give good heed, seek out, and set in order 
many things (Eccl. xii. 9). A preacher after the divine 
order, is a teacher, not of the plain or recondite principles 
of the sciences, but of the word of God. Jesus sent out 
His apostles to teach the world the philanthropy of 
Heaven ; to unfold God's redemption plan ; to invite man 
to be saved upon the easy terms of the gospel. 

Every such preacher is called of God. His willingness 
to dedicate his life unreservedly to the service of God. and 
his ability to '^ preach the word," is his call. By proper 
application he may make this partnership call effectual. 
He must " give himself to reading, to exhortation, to doc- 
trine. " He must meditate upon these things, and give 
himself wholly to them. He must take heed unto himself 
and to the doctrine. (See I. Tim. iv.) A preacher of 
God's word must be a brave man, who will not be afraid to 
stand up, undaunted, before kings and conquerors in de- 
fense of God's truth. A cowering, cringing preacher is a 
menace to the cause. He must be a man of convictions, 
and he must have the courage to contend for his convic- 
tions. He must be a student of God's great library. It is 
far more profitable for the preacher and his audience if he 
spend the major part of his time in his library, instead of 
ringing door-bells and pressing brick, or holding down 
dry-goods boxes. The preacher who spends his time on 
the streets and in business houses, "cracking jokes " with 
the street loafer, had better be ''tamping railroad ties." 
Such men, instead of being " sowers who go forth to 
sow, " are blowers who go forth to blow. 

A preacher should be a man, every inch of him. A 
clean man, morally and physically. A man of good habits, 



370 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

. temperate in all things. A man to whom the good father 
or mother can point with pride and say, *' My son, there's 
a good pattern ; he's one of God's noblemen ; follow him 
and you will follow Christ." One time I went to a dis- 
trict convention, and, walking down the street, the first 
preacher I met stood at the side of the street, puffing a 
disgusting old pipe, befouling the sweet, pure air that 
God gave me to breathe, and slopping the sidewalk with 
his vile and nauseating tobacco juice that he vomited, 
first to the right, and then to the left, so as to miss the 
passers-by ; but it did not miss the trail of the ladies* 
garments. Had I not known him, I might have taken him 
to be a saloon pimp. What an example ! What a repre- 
sentative of the kingdom of heaven I I was almost 
ashamed of my calling. This man could tramp the streets 
for a week, and preach to a houseful on Lord's Day, while 
the preacher who spent the most of his time in prayerful 
meditation in his library, gathering some rich nuggets of 
truth for the people who would go to the sanctuary for 
the pure worship of God, would speak to a mere handful. 
I'd rather be the latter preacher, a thousand-fold. 

At another time I had the great pleasure of hearing a 
preacher of national repute. He was holding a meeting 
in the town where I lived. He invited people to ask ques- 
tions. This inquiry came, "Do you think the man who 
uses tobacco can lift up holy hands?" Answer— ''Not 
if he chews the tobacco with his hands. I would like to 
see you find the Scripture that forbids the use of tobacco. " 
Instantly I thought, Where's the Scripture that forbids 
the drinking of beer, going to a horse-race, or to a dance, 
or to th3 card-table — where? It is a shame for a preacher 
to thus use the word of God, even though he may do it in 
self-justification. The man of the world expects the 
preacher to be above him, in morals, in holy living and in 
pure example ; and when he sees the preacher on a lower 
plane than he occupies, it would be most unreasonable to 
expect him to be guided by the preacher, either in or out 
of the pulpit. The world never goes to the clown to re- 
ceive lessons in morals, nor to the acrobat for spiritual 
culture. The clow^nish mimic reveals a shallow brain or 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 371 

a godless heart, and the thoughtful meu of the worlds 
and their name is legion — are disgusted and repelled, 
rather than drawn to a higher life, by such preachers. 
The "mixer " so much heard of to-day, and sought after 
by the would-be popular church, is a popular nuisance to 
any church that is longing after a higher, purer and more 
consecrated life. If you want goody-goody gush and sap 
and slop and froth and foam and feathers, get a mixer and 
let him compound these ingredients ; then take a twenty 
minutes' dose about eleven and another about seven-thirty, 
and you will retire to sweet rest on Lord's Day night and 
dream of 

Being carried to the skies 

On downy beds of ease, 
All fixed up by the mixer's hand 

Who every one can please. 

Can the mixer find a divine example ? Not one. Jesus 
never tried to please the rabble ; He never sought them 
out. The mob went where He was, but the reverse, never. 
When the rabble and the avaricious money -getter came to 
His Father's house, Jesus did not fawn and fondle over 
them, and invite them back again, but with a whip of 
cords He drove them from His presence, branding them as 
a set of thieves. There is not an example on record of an 
apostle, or an evangelist, ever mingling with the popular 
throng to draw the people after them. They had no clap- 
trap devices with which to inveigle the people. With 
them the " gospel was the power of God unto salvation," 
and if the people would not be drawn by this, they must 
perish, and no known power could help i^. Certainly the 
preachers would not be responsible for their loss. 

The preacher who is all the time trying to find out 
which way the wind blows, and when he finds out, falls in 
and goes with the current, is a policy man ; a time-server, 
a thief, stealing the livery of heaven in which to serve the 
devil. Driftwood and dead fish float down-stream ; it 
takes life and activity to stem the current. The fact that 
a man is good, is no evidence that he is called to preach. 
Some men are so good that they are good for nothing. 
They never can correct an error for fear of hurting some 



372 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

*' tenderfoot," and if he should by accident give a much- 
needed rebuke, he will apologize and ask pardon the mo^ 
ment he finds that somebody is the least bit stirred up^ 
Somebody has said, ''Don't preach if yoa can help it." 
And he might have added, don't preach if you can, and not 
correct the errors in the church and rebuke sin in every 
form and everywhere. That would be the whip with the 
cracker left off. 

In the scheme of redemption the faithful preacher 
stands next to Christ, and between Christ and the people^ 
His is a message of love and mercy ; but while proclaim- 
ing the goodness of God, he must not forget His severity 
(Rom. xi. 22). His it is to make known the terms of 
admission into the church and into heaven. Hence, he 
has the saint and sinner in the church, and the sinner out 
of the church, to deal with. The preacher spreads a large 
table, and all are invited to come and dine. What does 
not suit you may satisfy the cravings of some hungry 
soul. He preaches to the gray-haired saint, and to the 
hoary-headed sinner, both in the same pew. He discourses 
to the polished scholar, and to his little boy by his side. 
Must he starve the boy that he may show his skill in feed- 
ing the learned ? It is far harder work to preach to the 
boy than it is to his father. Give me time, and my 
library, and I can construct an argument that the learn- 
ing of the world can not tear down ; but to build a dis- 
course upon a level with the boy's mind is the harder task 
of the two. In this age it is easy to be profound, but hard 
to be simple. The reason there is not more preaching to 
the children is because there are few who understand the 
art. Brethren, here is a vast field, and almost entirely 
unexplored. Work it. It is full of gems of brightest hue. 

Once I preached a practical discourse. A brother heard 
me for the first time. He was displeased. The next day 
I was down-town and a brother came to me, extended his 
hand, and said, " I sure did enjoy that sermon yesterday ; 
it did me so much good. " From the remarks of these two 
brethren, I read their characters, as wide apart as the 
poles. One wanted to be let alone in his sins, and did not 
wish to hear of duty, because it spoke of a debt he owed, 



SER3fONS AXD ADDRESSES. 373 

The other was hungering to know these things, that he 
might grow in favor with God. What is the poor preacher 
to do but to please himself because he pleases God ? If 
the preacher knows his people, he knows what they need, 
and should be prompt in administering the needed medi- 
cine, without fear or favor. A preacher should be social, 
at the same time exercising care not to abuse this power, 
lest the people be drawn to him rather than to Christ. 
This is some preachers' power. Others draw the people 
because they can paint word pictures, and soar among the 
stars, but they light on the earth like common men. 
Others attract the thinking people because of their ability 
to "preach the word," and unfold the Scriptures in all 
their beauty and marvelous simplicity. This is the Bible 
preacher, the noblest work of God. The man who will build 
for time and for eternity. The man who will command 
the respect of all respectable people. The preacher whom 
every young preacher should strive to imitate. This is the 
preacher who would blush at the thought of getting down 
in the dirt for one moment, that he might "draw a 
crowd," the preacher who will never trail the gospel 
banner in the dust, nor lower the dignity of the pulpit to 
catch some half-converted money king. Thank God, we 
have many such preachers, who stand upright, and seem 
to realize the fact that they were made in the image of 
God, and the great need of preserving the image. 

There is room for more preaching. "Go . o . preach 
the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is 
immersed shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall 
be damned" (Mark xvi. 15. 16). "Preach the word" 
(II. Tim. iv. 2). According to these two Scriptures, one 
by Jesus, and the other by one of his ministers, preaching 
the "gospel" and preaching the "word" is the same 
thing. But what is preaching ? It is pronouncing what 
is called a sermon. But what is a sermon? Dr. Phelps, 
in his " Theory of Preaching, " defines it as follows : "A 
sermon is an oral address, delivered to the popular mind, 
on religious truth contained in the Scriptures, and elabo- 
rately treated with a view to persuasion." Is this defini- 
tion correct ? By comparing it with the Book of Acts 



374 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

you will find that it is. This book contains the inspired 
preachiog of the apostles. Their only theme was conver- 
sion. They dealt not in the popular topics of the day. 
They had a message, and they delivered it red hot from 
heaven, and it went home to the heart. Their preaching 
was, and is, an inspired commentary on the Lord's com- 
mission, and leaves not a doubt about its meaning. Their 
preaching was a practical application of the law of pardon, 
and explains the rule of conversions. 

The Book of Acts is the preacher's handbook, and con- 
tains a full development of the plan of salvation as un- 
folded by these Spirit-guided apostles. Nothing can be 
safer, then, than that the preaching be ordered after the 
divine pattern found in Luke's commentary. According 
to Luke's definition of a sermon, we have in these de- 
generate days many speeches delivered from the pulpit 
that should never be dignified by the name "sermon." 
The title is too high-sounding ; it does not fit the case. 
Neither should they be called sermonettes ; but Jia- 
ranguettes, to which a man might listen until he was gray 
with age, and die without knowing what to do to be saved. 

The pulpit has come to be the most abused piece of 
furniture in the world, and multitudes of men have lost all 
respect for it. Sectarianism must account for a large 
part of this sin. It is a departure from the " old paths " 
marked out by Dr. Luke, and hence does not harmonize 
with New Testament teaching, but leads to confusion and 
doubt. Sectarian preaching has no proper conception of 
the right divisions of the Bible, but would point the in- 
quiring sinner to the Psalms of David to find an answer to 
his question, " What must I do to be saved ? " as quickly as 
to the Book of Acts, which is the book of conversions, and 
is the only book in the Bible that answers the sinner's in- 
quiry. The preaching that does not recognize this fact is 
based on the "doctrines and commandments of men." 
This is leaning on a slender reed, for Jesus says to such, 
" In vain do you worship me " (Matt. xv. 9). 

Some preaching ends with baptism, leaving the work 
less than half done. Where preaching to the alien ends, 
which is at his baptism, preaching to the converted man 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 375 

begins, and must last as long as the church lasts. 
'' Teaching them " (the converted) " to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you," says Jesus. This 
part of the preaching is too much neglected. The preacher 
who is satisfied with his work when he baptizes the people, 
does not know his New Testament, or, knowing it, does 
not follow it. It is easy to recruit an army ; but to drill 
and discipline and take it safely through a long and ardu- 
ous campaign is the work of years. One book (Acts) tells 
us how to come to Christ ; it t.ikes twenty-one (from 
Romans to Revelation) to teach us how to abide in Him. 

The preaching that trains the babes in Christ, feeding 
them upon " the sincere milk of the word, that they may 
grow thereby," is the most valuable preaching. Such 
preaching will organize and discipline an army, so that 
" one can whip a thousand, and two put ten thousand to 
flight." Preaching is a curious business, chiefly because 
the people are curious. One regards the best preaching 
as little better than chaff ; another, the poorest preaching, 
as the best he ever heard. It must suit everybody, at all 
times, and under all circumstances, or it is "poor stuff." 
If the preaching or teaching should descend to the level of 
the child mind, somebody will shrug his shoulders and 
say, " Well ! well ! does he regard us as 'kids ' ? " If it 
should soar above the Sunday-school, some are ready to 
say, " How will the children ever learn their duty ? " And 
so it goes. If the preaching is good, bad or medium, that 
all classes may be ministered unto, it is the butt of some- 
body's ridicule or sarcasm; it is the joy and praise of 
some consecrated heart who sees and appreciates the situ- 
ation. 

Preaching is hard work because there are so many 
large and old babies to be carried, and weaklings to be 
nursed ; so many crutches to make for the lame ; so many 
eyes to make over, and ears to fix ; so many cases of soft- 
ening of the religious brain, and an alarming prevalence 
of Sahhaticus mordicus, which, being interpreted, is Sunday 
sickness. The preaching must be suited to all these ills, 
and heal all these diseases, or it is counted as little better 
than nothing. 



376 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

And, as if all this were not enough, the lack of ability 
to appreciate good preaching comes trooping in, and 
what will we do? Shall w^e have bad preaching? No ! 
Shall we have no preaching? "Go preach," is still of 
binding force. We are told that when the Shah of Persia 
was in London, they took him to hear Beethoven's "Ninth 
Symphony." During the tuning of the orchestra he was 
delighted ; he listened eagerly to the babel of strident 
noises, and pronounced it the best music he had heard 
since he had left Persia. But w^ien the "Symphony" 
was begun and the great hall was filled with celestial 
harmony, the Shah sat uneasy in his seat, and was glad 
when it was over. The Shah's indifference to good music 
was not because he was opposed to it, but because he 
could not appreciate it. The reason for this may have 
been that he had no opportunity to cultivate a taste for 
music, or that, having an opportunity, he purposely neg- 
lected it. If the latter be true, then his indifference was 
highly censurable. The only remedy for indifference, and 
the lack of ability to appreciate, is to educate the hearer. 
If this can not be done, all the preaching on earth will not 
meet the case, and the comforting thought is, the man will 
be saved on the score of irresponsibility. 

Let the preaching be with all authority, being backed 
up by the word of God. Speak as the Bible speaks, and 
the preaching w^ill be by inspiration, as it was when it 
came fresh from the apostles. Let the preaching be after 
the Jerusalem pattern, and the preacher will be Spirit- 
guided, as were Paul, Peter and Philip. Let the preaching 
be with a view to calling men from darkness to light, and 
from the power of Satan unto God, and blessings will 
follow the good work. Preach the gospel. Hold the 
people to the divine pattern. Let there be no departing 
from the faith. Paul prophesied the coming of a time 
when people would turn away their ears from the truth, 
and would be turned unto fables. It seems that we are 
seeing this prediction fulfilled. Our plea, "Back to 
Christ," needs to be emphasized just now. Upon this 
subject one says : 



^:^RMONS AND ADDRESSES. 377 

The Christ of the New Testament is the Christ that 
the world needs ; and the sooner preachers imbibe the 
sentiment of Paul and determine to know nothino- but 
Christ and Him crucified, the better it will be for all con- 
cerned. Paul had to meet the philosophers and disputers 
of his age, and he met theiii with the plain story of the 
cross. His preaching was not with enticing words of 
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of 
power. He did not attempt to harmonize the gospel of 
Christ with either Jewish prejudices or Greek philosophy. 
He was invested with a message from on high, and he sent 
that message straight to the mark -^ithout deviating a 
hair's-breadth. He understood that the gospel is God's 
power to save men, and that nothing can take its place. 
With him the matter was too vital to allow of any dealing 
with side issues. His one aim was to save people, and he 
preached only that which has power to save. Had he 
done otherwise he would have belittled his calling and 
dishonored his Lord. 

The world needs now w^hat it needed then, and the 
notion that what suited that age does not suit this age, is 
a snare and a delusion. The gospel being God's last dis- 
pensation of religion to men, it is suited to all ages and 
generations alike. It needs no revision, no addition, no 
alteration of any kind ; and to the extent it is modified, 
to that extent it is injured in its ability to accomplish the 
mission upon which its divine author sent it. It pleases 
God to save believers by the foolishness of preaching the 
gospel which was given to men in the days of the apostles, 
and no other gospel can accomplish the desired result. 
This gospel declares that Christ died for our sins accord- 
ing to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that 
He arose from the dead the third day according to the 
Scriptures. This is the gospel that Paul preached, and 
the same gospel must be preached now by all those who 
wish to honor the Lord and save souls. No characteristic 
of this age demands the least change in this heavenly 
message, and no change can be allowed. In a plain, 
simple way let this story be told now, just as the apostles 
told it, and the world will soon learn to give heed to it. 

In the beginning inspired men preached this gospel in 
its simplicity, and according to the command of the Lord 
made this proclamation to those who heard: "He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved." There is no 
demand for any change in this proclamation to adapt it to 
present conditions. From the standpoint of sin and sal- 
vation, conditions are now precisely what they were when 
Christ gave the commission ; and if that commission was 
adapted to that age, it is adapted to this age. Let it be 



378 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

observed that the apostles were simply to declare the 
Saviour's proclamation, and not explain it. Preachers of 
this age sometimes appear to think that they are com- 
missioned to explain the Master's amnesty proclamation, 
and hence they are not content to simply declare it. 
Their explanation is about as follows : " He that believeth 
is already actually saved, and will hQ formally saved when 
baptized. " This is an effort on the part of human wisdom 
to transcend divine wisdom. It is an assumption upon 
the part of men to know better how to present the plan 
of salvation than the Lord Himself. . . . The kind of 
preaching that this* age needs is the preaching that tells 
people what to do to be saved, and tells them in the 
language of the Book. 

Fellow minister, do not forget in your preaching that 
the church itself needs conversion, and that she will never 
accomplish her mission in the world till she becomes more 
spiritual and less worldly-minded. There are multitudes 
of unconverted people in the churches who never have an 
anxious thought about the welfare of the cause of Christ, 
whose god is their appetite and whose end is destruction 
if they do not repent. Do not preach to get people to 
join the church. There are too many in church now. We 
"have worked so long in addition, that we seem to have for- 
gotten the use of the rule for subtraction. Subtraction 
comes after addition ; let us advance. Men and women 
come into the church with very crude ideas of their new 
relation, and the obligations they have taken upon them- 
selves. They need teaching ; and while the heart is warm 
with their new love, is a good time to instruct them how 
to be good citizens of Christ's kingdom, into which they 
have just entered. 

Mr. Campbell once intimated that the time might come 
when there would be "all sorts of men, preaching all sorts 
of doctrine." If this is not being fulfilled just now, we are 
unable to draw a correct conclusion at this point. It is 
useless to enumerate the " fads " and the follies that are 
afloat to-day, of which Dowieism, Christian Science, actual 
and formal remission, are samples. Any mountebank, 
with any wind of doctrine, can get a hearing to-day, be- 
cause the people have " itching ears." This is a sad com- 
mentary on the human family. Every faithful preacher 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 379 

will steer clear of all this nonsense, and be content to 
order his preaching by the divine rule, and " speak where 
the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent." 
"These will be acceptable words, even words of truth." 
M. M. Davis says : 

Several months since, at the request of our Y. M. 
C. A. secretary, I spoke to the Association on the proper 
division of the New Testament. I used II. Tim. ii. 15, 
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a work- 
man that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the 
word of truth," as a text, and my treatment of it was 
that which made our fathers famous on this point almost a 
century ago. It was that peculiar treatment then in con- 
stant use by all our preachers, and by none others, show- 
ing the perfect adaptation of the Book to the wants of 
man. It then created a revolution in religious thought and 
won multitudes to the simple gospel of Christ, and it will do 
the same thing to-day if we will preach it as they did. 
The address was heartily received by the Association, and 
I have been asked to repeat it to them. On the 8th inst., 
at Ennis, the secretaries of the State asked me to give it 
to them. I did so, and think I never had a speech more 
heartily received. Now for the "pointer." Let our 
preachers preach the old gospel as our fathers and the 
apostles did, and the old-time results will follow. The 
world wants it. Theological speculation and sectarian 
hair-splitting have had their day, and this sensible, prac- 
tical populace which fills our pews will have no more of it. 
Denominationalism wants it. At least, many of them, 
and they of the best, want it. This is clearly evidenced in 
the above incident. Give it to them or they will never 
get it, for no other pulpit has it. Our people have it. 
Our own people want it. Here and there I sadly confess 
you find a few who do not, but the rank and file of the 
church do want it. If you doubt this, give them a few 
sermons of the Ben Franklin type and you doubt no longer. 
Also look over our pulpits and see the men who are most 
securely in their confidence, and this conclusion will be 
strengthened. And God wants it. When the Lord left 
them, he told his apostles to "preach the gospel " to a lost 
world, and they did it, and in doing it they turned that 
world upside down and flooded the dark places with the 
light and joy of life. In a word, let every preacher resolve 
now on the threshold of the new century to preach the 
simple gospel of Christ with all the power that God Has 
given. Preach it faithfully, kindly and courteously and 
the Lord will give us a good victory. 



380 T WEN TIE fU CENTUM Y 

In the city of Oskaloosa, la., I had a similar experience, 
only my sermon was published in Oitr Young Folks, and 
fell into the hands of the Y. M. C. A. Brethren, let us 
preach the old Book more. The old Jerusalem gospel will 
tell. 

Let the young preacher guard against becoming dis- 
couraged because his preaching does not suit everybody. 
Jesus and the apostles canie very far short of pleasing 
the people. The preaching that is true to the word of 
God will cut off a good many ears, but the command is, 
"Preach the word." They who love pleasure on the 
Lord's Day more than they do the house of God, will not 
like your preaching. To please such, you will displease 
God. Which will you do? If you are striving to shape 
your preaching so that it will please everybody, you are 
not fit to preach (Luke vi. 26). Men who think more of 
their fraternities than they do of the church, will shun 
your preaching. And the woman who thinks more of 
being a Daughter of Rebekah than she does of being a 
daughter of the Lord, and studies her lodge ritual and has 
it committed to memory, but could not repeat a dozen 
passages of Scripture, will not like your preaching. But 
you are commanded to "reprove, rebuke and exhort." 
If you would have your efforts please this class of people, 
don't point out duty ; don't teach; don't preach ; just 
talk, say pretty things, and make them laugh. Send 
everybody home with an approving conscience, and your 
preaching will be acceptable to the popular throng ; your 
chapel wilL be filled, but heaven will be less populous by 
-the number that might have been saved if you had 
preached Christ and Him crucified. 

In preaching it is far better to make a mistake on 
the safe side. "Preach the word." Preaching that 
hits nothing and nobody is absolutely worthless. If 
you preach righteousness, you hit somebody. If you 
preach temperance, you hit somebody. Preach against 
the saloon and you hit somebody. The dance-hall, the 
card-table, Sunday v. siting, reveling, dram-drinking, 
swearing, fraternities — speak against any of these, and 
you hit somebody — the sinner in the church, and the 



SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 381 

Sinner out. Why is the faithful preacher continually 
" roasting " somebody, as it is now called? Because there 
is always somebody who needs it. Correction is an every- 
day work. But your preaching will not be popular if it 
is in line with apostolic injunctions. What will you do? 
"Choose you this day whom you will serve,' whether God 
or the world. 



382 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



PERILS OF THE CHURCH. 

[Read before the Southwest Missouri Preachers' Institute, 
Aurora, Mo., 19.0.] 

Dear Brethren: — My humble attainments often deter 
me from giving what I deem wholesome advice, or ventur- 
ing into unexplored seas. For more than forty years I 
have been watching what we are pleased to call "Our 
Movement. " For about thirty years 1 have, in my humble 
way, been presenting its claims to the people. But few 
of the " Old Gruard " are left. The men who stood picket 
when the army was small may be counted on your fingers. 
The rest are ''sleeping in their low green tents whose 
curtains never outward swing. " Let us stand with un- 
covered heads in the presence of these illustrious dead. I 
love the cause for which they battled. I love to read of 
the old battlefields where the word of God was their only 
weapon, and loyalty to Christ the only battle-cry. They 
began the recruiting of what has grown to be a mighty 
army for conquest in the name of Jesus. They believed in 
expansion, and they mad ^ God's leafy groves resound 
with the imperialism of the Messiah, until His supreme 
authority was acknowledged by many a heart that was 
longing for a clearer knowledge of the Christ. Their con- 
ception of what the church ought to be was so clear that 
they never dreamed of the "perils" that confront it to- 
day. I am called upon by our Program Committee to 
point out the dangers that threaten us. 

We have grown from less than 120 to be more than 
1,200,000 strong, and we are growing at the rapid rate of 
more than ten thousand per month. Our educational 
facilities have been multiplied until one might think we 
had passed the danger- line. But when we cry, "Peace 
and safety," then swift destruction may be upon us. 

We have maintained, so far, our unity as a people, and 
think we have demonstrated the possibility of Christian 
union on the foundation of apostles and prophets and of 
maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 383 

without undergirding the ship with the chains of human 
creed and dogma. We have had, it is tru^, our share of 
cranks and apostates, but not more than our share. Our 
progress has been a vigorous and healthy growth, with no 
dry seasons and no grasshopper plagues. 

How has this success been achieved ? First of all, we 
have relied on a plain and strong presentation of the prim- 
itive gospel with its commands and sublime motives. We 
have relied on the certain, the unquestioned teachings of 
the word of God. In the second place, we have not 
preached our opinions or theories. We have bean as re- 
markable for what we have not preached as for what we 
have. — Everest. 

Shall we continue the plan that has won such splendid 
victories, or shall we leave the true and tried, and resort 
to experiments ? The alchemist who, after long trial, 
finds the pure metal in the bottom of his crucible, need no 
longer to experiment. The time has come to use the fruit 
of his patient toil. The splendid victories accomplished 
by the primitive church, with no guide save the word of 
God, ought to teach us that it will be perilous for us to 
try any human expedients. 

In the early days of last century an inspiration seemed 
to seize upon a number of God-fearing men of "different 
names and orders. " They saw the sad condition of the 
religious world as they never saw it before. They saw 
strife where peace ought to reign, divisions where unity 
should dwell, and false teaching where Christ only should 
be taught. They saw the army of Satan marching in one 
solid phalanx against the cross of Christ, and they were 
filled with alarm. That something was fearfully wrong 
they could not for one moment question. How to right 
the wrong was the problem of the hour. They sat down 
to the work of its solution with a firm and unshaken trust 
in God. That there were too many churches was a fore- 
gone conclusion. That the New Testament said nothing 
about them was too plain to be denied. To form another 
church would only increase the difficulty. To reform the 
denominations would leave them denominations still. The 
only thing left for them to do was to labor for the resto- 
ration of the church as it was when the apostles left it. 
It must be admitted by all that the New Testament church 



384 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

was formed just as Grod would have it. That inspiration 
guided the apostles in the '' Planting and Training of the 
Church," none can deny. This divinely organized and 
inspiration-guided church was left as a model for our 
imitation. From this divine standard the church gradu- 
ally departed until the apostasy came. To restore the 
church to the original pattern was in the mind of these 
men a consummation devoutly to be prayed for. To ac- 
complish this much-needed work, the New Testament 
must first be restored to its original place. It must be 
accepted as the only and all-sufficient guide. The Bible, 
the only directory : Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living 
God^ the only creed. With supreme loyalty to this creed, 
the work was well begun. 

One of the greatest perils — in fact, the peril — that con- 
fronts us to-day is a growing disposition to " let up, " just 
when we should '^hold on." When we surrender the 
stronghold where we have won all oar victories, and 
routed the enemy, foot, horse and dragon, we have sur- 
rendered everything. 

Losing sight of our distinctive plea is an element of 
weakness that is painful to contemplate. And the pain is 
increased when we remember that our zeal is waning just 
at the time when victory is in sight. Let me quote from 
some greater men than your humble servant : " Unless we 
have a distinctive plea, we have no right to exist. " ''The 
day we become like the denominations around us, that day 
ends our right to exist as a distinctive religious people." 
''If we have a distinctive plea, in that consists our 
strength. I believe our distinctive principles are made 
less prominent in our pulpits now than formerly. I do 
not mean that our preachers should be always on ' first 
principles.' Very far from it. But I do mean that all 
our members should be deeply indoctrinated in the things 
that distinguish us from other religious peoples." 

The members of the church, and especially the young, 
should understand why they occupy the position they do. 
The onward march of time will soon carry the young 
Christians into the pulpit. They will be the bishops and 
deacons of the church, " who must watch for the souls of 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 385 

their flock as those that must give account, that they may 
do it with joy and not with grief." I have been looked 
upon as an alarmist many times for stating the substance 
of the following quotation from the Christian Standard for 
Oct. 26, 1894 : 

But we have arrived at a critical period. A new gen- 
eration has arisen which knows not the stress of battle for 
principles ; a generation that is reaping what the fathers 
sowed with tears. They have come upon the scene when 
elegant church houses open their doors to welcome them, 
and when the voice of the old plea has largely ceased to 
ring in the pulpit. Our young people, consequently, have 
got to look upon the sects as, after all, not so very much 
different from ourselves. They meet in worship and in 
preaching ; we meet in worship and in preaching ; and 
what is the difference between us anyhow ? 

If our young people can not tell the difference now, 
and the same teaching or lack of teaching continues for 
fifty years, there will be no difference worthy of mention. 
What is the difference between us and the sects? Hear 
the Standard again : 

Go among the ordinary young church-members and 
ask that question and see how many can answer it iutelli- 
gently. They see a superficial resemblance ; they do not 
comprehend the fundamental divergence. They are largely 
ignorant of first principles. The basal truths have not 
been taught them. 

Not long since I made this same statement in the 
Oracle^ and a young brother gave me a most unmerciful 
lampooning for my ignorance. I commend him for his 
zeal, but deprecate his want of knowledge. The quotas 
tions are as true as the gospel. I could quote others, but 
it is needless. 

If our young people are largely ignorant of first pr-in-' 
ciples, these fundamental truths not having been taught 
them, and this shall continue until thechurch falls into their 
hands, what will it be? A thing that will fall to pieces of 
its own weakness ; an organization with no distinct pur- 
pose in view, save what is in common with sectarianism. 
Our people must understand why they occupy the position 
they do. This is vital to our existence. Take from us 
the reasons why we exist, and you take our very heart's 



386 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

blood. When our people begin to believe that sectarianism 
is about as good as Christianity, the days of our useful- 
ness are numbered. There is as much need to-day for the 
proclamation of first principles as at any time since the 
apostasy. 

With the work of restoring primitive Christianity well 
begun, we must push it on to completion. That we have 
under God accomplished wonders in a short time the 
world admits. Creeds are crumbling, sectarianism is 
becoming odious, party names are less binding, the New 
Testament is assuming its wonted place, and the powers 
of the enemy are being shaken as never before. While 
the opposing power is wavering, is just the time to get in 
our most effective blows. It is just the time when we can 
least afford to slacken our energies. 

Our work, brethren, is to restore primitive Chris- 
tianity, or it is nothing. Touching this I have not a 
shadow of doubt. Is there need for this work? It is an 
insult to our Lord to question it. Is it time? The time 
is ripe and great. Has the Architect given us a model? 
Look to the New Testament and see. Look at spiritual 
Jerusalem as it existed (if you can find it) previous to this 
century. It lay in ruins. Its streets were filled with 
rubbish ; gates consumed by fire ; its walls torn down and 
overgrown with poison vines. Almost every mark of 
identity erased. Look upon this picture which is below 
the real, and ask, Was there anything to do when " our 
fathers ' ' began the work of rebuilding the walls of spir- 
itualJerusalem? A tremendous work. 

Was it important ? It was as important to restore the 
church as it was for Jesus to build it. Then its restora- 
'tion is as divine as its conception. These brave workmen 
had a divine pattern and a little willing material with 
which to begin work — the balance of the material lay in 
wild confusion on every handj they believed that "one 
man with God on his side was a majority." With hearts 
burning with zeal for truth as it is in Jesus, they went to 
work. They believed that the Church of Christ in the be- 
ginning, when everything was given by inspiration of 
God, was just such a church as Jesus wanted. Had He 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 387 

wanted something different. He would have made it other- 
wise. He who saw the end from the betJ^inning so framed 
His church as to meet the wants of His cause in all ages ai.d 
in every clime. This being true — and I see not how it can 
be denied without impeaching the Divine — it follows as 
clear as a demonstration that if we restore the church in 
all respects as it was in the beginning, this work will meet 
the divine approval. It can not be otherwise than the 
very thing God would have accomplished. If this is not 
true, then we are without proof that God would look with 
favor upon the observance of any divine precept. 

If the Church of Christ was well pleasing to the Father 
in its perfection, it would be well pleasing to Him if the 
perfection was restored. I see not how this can fail to 
meet the approval of every lover of New Testament 
Christianity. That the work of restoring the church is a 
divine work none can deny — and admit that the church is 
a divine institution — without claiming that it is as pure in 
teaching and practice now as when it came from the hands 
of the apostles. This no rational mind will affirm. 

The same needs exist to-day that did when our fathers 
began this important work. There are multitudes who 
have not heard the New Testament plea. ^' The gospel is 
a permanent means to meet the universal and permanent 
wants of the soul. God is the same, sin is the same, want 
and woe the same, and death the same. The problem of 
human life and destiny is tho same in all ages, and it de- 
mands the same solution. " And the New Testament con- 
tains the only solution. 

The methods pursued by the godly men who put this 
restoration movement on foot made it fruitful as no other 
movement ever was, since the great Pentecost. "Now, 
shall we still continue this method, or has the time come 
when it will no longer succeed? Have we reached such a 
barrier to our march that we must right-about-face and 
fall back to the starting-place ? Have the times so 
changed, have we reached such a point in the progress of 
science, and have we so exhausted our resources, that new 
doctrines and new measures, as well as new men, are de- 
manded?" In thunder tones I answer, JVo! The older 



388 T WEN TIE Til CENT UR Y 

the measures, the better, until we stand on the Mount of 
Transfiguration and hear the Father say of His Son, 
"Hear ye him." New methods, new measures, new doc- 
trines are the " perils "of the church. Let us go back to 
the grand and awful time when all the values of the won- 
derful life of Jesus were converging into one blazing focus 
of infinite grandeur, and when the infinite Father swept 
the hilltops of Judaea with the breath of His omnipotence, 
and sent the reverberations of His voice echoing through 
the halls that heard the trial of His Son, and over the 
silent hills that saw Him die, and there receive our inspi- 
ration, and learn our lessons. Anything newer than the 
gospel of Christ is dangerous ; it is perilous. 

The work of restoring primitive Christianitj- lays the 
ax at the root of the denominational tree, and every sect 
and party must feel its keen edge. Since the church in 
the apostolic age did not contain sects and parties, it 
follows then that when the church is restored as it was in 
that age, it will be free from all denominational peculi- 
arities. With the New Testament iu hand, and loyalty to 
God in our hearts, let us pray and preach for a restored 
church. 

This, brethren, is the strength of our plea. It is the 
armor of eternal truth, more impenetrable than the shield 
of Achilles. It is a sad fact that this' Heaven-ordained 
work is not being pushed to-day with as much force as the 
cause demands. Not long sinco a preacher in one of our 
leading religious papers made light of the phrase we use 
so much; viz.: "Our Plea." The Campbells, the Hay- 
dens, the Erretts, the Pendletons, the McCarveys, the 
Pinkertons, the Plattenburgs and the Procters, and an 
army of such grand and mighty spirits, were justly proud 
of "Our Plea, " because it was born of the New Testa- 
ment, which was born of God ; but a young man can 
scoff at it. 

Now and then comes a statement from the press and 
pulpit that carries with it the thought that sectarianism 
is about as good as New Testament Christianity. Some 
are even bolder than this, and affirm that a certain church 
thg-t did not so much as have an existence until the six- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 389 

teenth century after Christ is a church of Christ. Again, 
we hear.it said to-day by some of our brethren that sins 
are remitted before immersion into Christ, and repentance 
precedes faith, and John iii. 5 has no reference to water 
baptism, and in some places the " pious unimmersed " are 
received into fellowship. A good man, and one of our 
leading preachers, lately closed a meeting in a town where 
sectarianism abounds, and in reporting his meeting he 
said : " We were not opposed or antagonized by the mem- 
bers of the other church." Note the expression, ''the 
other church. " Did Jesus and His apostles ever escape 
antagonism? They did not, and why? They had some- 
thing to preach that antagonized, and they preached it. 
We have the same gospel to preach, nothing more, nothing 
less. The reason the brother was not antagonized was 
because there was nothing to antagonize. Where is the 
brother who has been preaching for a quarter of a century 
that does not know that if you touch sectarianism, it will 
strike back just as sure as light repels darkness? And if 
you do not assail the arch-enemy of the church, what is 
your mission? 

One of the perils of the church is an effort on the part 
of the preacher to send everybody home with an easy 
conscience. His method is popular, and it increases the 
cash receipts ; but it is perilous because it is disloyalty to 
Christ, and is dealing unfairly with immortal souls. Had 
Christ and His apostles catered to the whims and winked 
at the false doctrines of men, they would not have been 
crucified or beheaded, but what would have become of the 
church? It would have perished in its conception. 

The doctrine that calls in question the authority of the 
apostles is perilous. 

At a congress of Baptist preachers in Chicago, not 
long since, the question whether the authority of the 
apostles was equal to that of Christ was gravely con- 
sidered. The cry, "Back to Christ," is often used as im- 
plying that we may sweep by the apostles and consent to 
learn of Jesus only ; as implying that the Sermon on the 
Mount is of more authority than the apostolic discourses 
or the Epistle to the Romans ; as implyia^^ that the sterner 
teachings of the Epistles are to be toned down, or wholly 



390 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

suppressed, by the love and compassion of Jesus. It is 
denied that the example of the apostles in planting and 
organizing the church is any precedent for us. It is claimed 
that Dr. Lyman Abbott, and others like him, know better 
what doctrines and ordinances are needed by the church 
in these modern days than did the apostles. Have we not 
made great progress since those far-away times? Is not 
inspiration a living force in the church, and are not our 
great divines inspired — somewhat? The idea that those 
old Jewish writers are to dictate to this scientific age is 
absurd ! — President Everest. 

This lessening of apostolic authority is a peril akin to in- 
fidelity. It is an earthquake that threatens to reconstruct 
the great truths upon which we have ever relied and held 
sacred. If the apostles do not speak with authority, what do 
we know of Christ ? Does not a knowledge of Him come to 
us through the apostles ? Did they not write the Gospels ? 
Did they not speak as the Spirit gave them utterance ? If 
not, they were inadequate to the task of presenting God's 
truth to a lost world, and the whole temple of gospel doc- 
trine tumbles down upon us and the entire gospel system 
is wreck and ruin. 

To question the authority of the apostles is to doubt 
the only divine endorsement of the Old Testament ; for 
they affirm that Jesus endorsed it as the word of God. 
Why go up to Jerusalem to confer with the apostles if they 
do not speak with divine authority ? How can we get 
back to Christ if the apostles do not show us the way ? 
And since the other sacred writers speak with the same 
authority as the apostles, it follows that if we question 
the authority of the apostles, we are left without any evi- 
dence that there ever was any Christ. Brethren, are we 
not in perils among false brethren ? These are not the 
times when we should lower the standard of apostolic au- 
thority. If there ever was a time when we needed to hear 
the word of the Lord sounded above the theories of men, 
that time is now. Let the apostles speak on ! 

One of the perplexing, poisonous perils that is steal- 
ing in upon us, and threatning to rob the church of her 
power, is worldliness — a lack of spirituality. A Christian 
hobnobbing with popular amusements, and spending hours 



SEI^MOm AND ADDRESSES. Sdl 

of precious time playing the devil's games, is enough to 
cause the church to put on her weeds of mourning. At 
the closing up of the third, and the ushering in of the 
fourth century, the church tried the fearful and perilous 
experiment of playing with the world; and the church of 
to-day ought to profit by the experiment. The emperor 
and the bishops of the church in Rome were anxious to 
add the heathen to their numbers ; but the pagans were 
loth to give up their worldly games and amusements. 
Rome was the largest city in the world, and why not have 
the largest church? The heathen were invited ia with 
certain of their worldly amusements. The church multi- 
plied in numbers, but it resulted in a fearful spiritual sub- 
traction. As the heathen, burdened with the world, the 
flesh and the devil, came trooping in at the front door, 
righteousness and joy and peace, clad in sackcloth and 
ashes, went out the back door to weep over the awful 
calamity. The church lost her power, and, what is sad- 
dest of all, she has never again regained it, aad never will 
while she invites the devil to a seat in the church. A 
Christian playing progressive euchre or whist I A Chris- 
tian handling the gambler's tools, and playing for a prize^ 
a cut-glass ornament, or a silver cup, or a ring 1 Gam- 
bling, for which the last mother's son and daughter of them 
ought to be indicted by the grand jury for the violation of 
the law to enforce good morals. What greater peril could 
befall the church than that which robs it of its morality, 
and sends it into the world a hiss and a byword, and a 
stumbling-block in the way of the honest, moral and law- 
abiding sinner? Brethren, we must correct these evils if 
we would preserve the purity and power of the church. 
One of the great perils of the church is a lack of whole- 
some discipline. How perilous it is to have a traitor in 
the camp, or one leprous with sin. The preacher, and the 
Bible, our guide, pleading for a pure life, and the church 
a sepulchre for rottenness and dead men's bones. The 
beer-guzzler leading the choir, and the guttersnipe's name 
on the church roll. The man who made himself rich by 
making his neighbors, and his neighbors' boys, drunk by 
retailing poison to them over the doggery bar, promoted 



S92 WENTIETH CENTURY 

to the sacred office of bishop in the Church of Christ. 
The district evangelist hiring his boy out to work in a 
saloon, and himself treating his own brethren to the 
drinks. The bishop's son, and a member of the church, 
wallowing in the drunkard's vomit, and guilty of the 
vilest immorality. A member of the church procuring a 
barrel of whisky, and retailing it to men and boys to 
help them on in their Christmas holiday sprees. These, 
and many lesser infractions of the divine law, all fell 
under my own observation. The evangelist was dealt 
with, but none others, to my knowledge. How perilous 
to the prosperity of the church is such ungodliness, when 
found within her own fold. 

I once held a meeting for a church where there were 
four or five cases of adultery in the congregation, and 
there had never been an effort made to bring about repent- 
ance, or to rid the body of the putrefying sores. It almost 
makes one blush to think of the pulpit inviting the good, 
moral man or woman, of clean record, to come into the 
church and associate with and fellowship such disgusting 
rottenness. We need an Ezra in the camp to thunder the 
law of God into the ears of the people, and strike them 
dumb with the lightning of God's wrath and righteous in. 
dignation, because of such inexcusable carelessness in 
caring for the "house of God, which is the church of the 
living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. " Jesus used 
a scourge with which to cleanse His Father's house. Shall 
we be less patient, less careful, in caring for His spiritual 
temple? Not if we would rid the church of this peril of 
all perils, put the leper out of the camp and thus 
lessen the peril of a spread of the disease. The word of 
God gives us a strict rule of quarantine, which, if enforced, 
will put out, and keep out, these impurities that so imperil 
our holy work. " Therefore put away from among your- 
selves that wicked person " (I. Cor. v. 13). " Note that 
man, and have no company with him, that he may be 
ashamed'* (II. Thess. iii. 14). Now we command you, 
brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye 
withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh dis- 
orderly " (II. Thess. iii. 6. See I. Tim. vi. 3 ; Tit. iii. 10). 



SERMON'S AND ADDRESSES. 303 

By the careless way in which we administer the affairs 
of the Church of Christ, we are imperiling the souls of 
men and women who would love to be Christians, but 
stand appalled as they gaze upon ths corruption that is 
suffered to corrode the body of Christ. Discipline is 
almost a lost art, and it is one of the fine arts too. The 
Holy Spirit has taken great pains to make it plain to us 
that it is absolutely necessary. A body that has not 
strength enough to keep itself pure, is on the sure road 
to dissolution. We are so anxious to get the world into 
the church that we let in the flesh and the devil, with so 
many of their worldly customs, many of which are down- 
right immoral and degrading, that it is sapping the life 
of the church, and robbing her of her power to save 
souls. The church is becoming a hiss and a byword, and 
it will continue to grow worse so long as we are more 
anxious to add names to the church roll than we are to 
purify and make clean the number we already have. I 
am afraid that many of our preachers are studying more 
to know how to gather in the grain than they are to know 
how to keep out the mildew and weavel after it is in the 
garner. Better let it perish in the field, and save the 
labor of reaping and storing, and the disgrace of losing 
it by carelessness and sloth after it is in store. A wise 
husbandman is he who saves all the grain he gathers. 

We are told that history repeats itself. Would that 
this were not true respecting the church. But the signs 
of the time seem to indicate it. We have referred to the 
awful calamity that befell the church in the third and 
fourth centuries. Cast your eyes into the theological 
heavens and see if you can not clearly discern a similar 
cloud already as large as a man's hand. God grant that 
it may never increase. But we tremble. I think it is 
safe to say that ninety-nine out of every hundred of our 
preachers preach the pure gospel, but about the same 
proportion come short of enforcing it, by failing to preach 
the latter part of the commission: "Teaching them to 
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." 

I have been in the ministry for thirty years, and I 
never heard a sermon on "church discipline" or "setting 



394 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

things in order" in all this time, unless it can be said 
that a man hears himself preach. It is the one thing 
needful ; it is the one thing sadly neglected, and it is 
perilous to the peace, prosperity and purity of the church of 
the living God. The preacher who builds into the spiritual 
temple more living souls than he can feed and keep alive, 
and cause to " grow in favor, and in the knowledge of the 
truth," is certainly an unwise architect, and ere long the 
building will fall to pieces of its own weight. Teaching the 
church is the most important of all things. Keep the 
church pure and zealous and self-sacrificing, like the 
primitive church was, and men and women will flock to 
her altars like doves to the window. Men want to be 
saved. They desire to respect the church, but how can 
they when they see the man officiating at the Lord's table, 
or passing the emblems, w^hom they see frequenting the 
dens of iniquity, that exist by virtue of his signature; 
or sitting at the card-table where the wine goes round, 
^-^mbling for the drinks, and the church taking no cogni- 
Lancc of Guch Maring infractions of divine law. It looks 
to the man on ohe outside as if the church was endorsing 
the low and the vile for filthy lucre's sake. 

There is go little discipline in the church to-day, and 
such a lack of teaching on oho subject, that not half the 
members know that such a tiling is commanded of God. 
And when the church, by her bishops, seeks to correct 
some wanderer, ho rebels, and despises the admonition, 
because he thinks the overseers are assuming authority, 
and that his conduct is none of their business. Discipline 
is so nearly abolished for want of proper attention, and 
obedience to the law of God, that many of our preachers 
are poorly informed on the subject. Not long since, in 
conversing with one who ministers to the church in a 
large city, it was remarked that "brother should not go 
to law with brother before the unbelievers," and the 
brother said, "I had not noticed that. Where do you find 
that?" (I. Cor. vi.) If the preacher is lame, is it any 
wonder the church limps and halts ? We must educate the 
church, or we must perish by our own seeming prosperity. 
There is too much driftwood in the church ; too much 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 39b 

dead material ; too many barnacles on the hull of the 
"Old Ship Zion ; " the&e are becoming entangled with 
seaweed and moss, and she sails heavily. Her voyage 
across the stormy sea of life is jeopardized, and the lives 
of her passengers imperiled. Restore New Testament 
discipline, and you will restore the New Testament 
church. 



396 TWENTIETH CENTURT 



PRAYER. 

"Pray without ceasing."— I. Thess. v. 17. 

I. Introduction. — It is not necessary that we under- 
stand the nature of prayer in order to enjoy its blessings. 
We do not understand the nature of sunlight, but we en- 
joy it as much as if we did. We do not comprehend the 
intricate and silent forces of nature that makes the apple 
or builds strata by strata the great rock beds, but we en- 
joy the fruit of her labors in these and a thousand other 
fields. Prayer is natural. We must ask, work, and trust 
God for the promise. 

Prayer presupposes a sense of dependence, and causes 
us to look to a higher power for such blessings as we 
can not obtain within ourselves. The ancients thought 
God was too high to regard them. They worshiped 
such objects of nature as brought them blessings — the 
sun, the Nile, the cattle, etc. How contrary to reve- 
lation, which says : "Ask, and ye shall receive." We are 
sent into the world very much as Jesus was ; taking our 
commission as Christ took His, not to do our own will, but 
the will of Him who sent us. Note these pertinent words 
upon this subject : 

This is fundamental to godliness. Without this will 
set to do the Father's will, so that the words that are 
spoken come from the Father and the deeds that are done 
come from the Father, and the purposes to be accomplished 
are the purposes of the Father, there is no true. Christlike 
godliness. Out of that grows all true Christly prayer. 
Why is it that so many prayers are not answered ? "Be- 
cause they are prayers to conform God's will to our will, 
while the true function of prayer is always to conform our 
will to God's will— always. That is what Christ means 
when he says, "Ask in my name. " So anything you want, 
if you want it for Christ's sake, for the Messiah's sake, 
for the kingdom of heaven's sake, you can have. If 
that is your aim ; if your purpose is to accomplish God's 
purpose; if your lifelong 'pr^Y^r is "Thy will be done. 
Thy kingdom come," ask what you want and you can have 



S:ERMOyS AXD ADDRESSES. 397- 

it. Prayer is this : Not, How can I ^et God to do my 
will? but, How can 1 find out what is God's will, and how 
can I enable myself to do His will ? 

It is in the divine plan that we answer many of our 
own prayers. We must do what we can, and then look to 
a higher power. Let us exhaust our energies before we ask 
God to help us. At the close of a long prayer in which a 
father had prayed for a poor family, his son said : "Father, 
if I had as much wheat in my barn as you have, I'd answer 
that prayer myself." Mohammed was traveling. They 
came to their camping-place. One of his subjects said, 
"Master, I'm not going to tie my camel to-night. I'm 
going to commit it to God." Mohammed's reply was, 
" Tie your camel, my child, and then commit it to God." 
Fred Douglas, the great negro orator, said, "I prayed a 
long time for my liberty, but my prayer was not answered 
until I began praying with my legs, and then I found the 
answer to my prayer in Canada. " 

II. Advantages of Secret Prayer.— It cultivates the 
spiritual nature. Shut out from the world, with nothing 
to divert the mind, it turns back upon itself and enjoys a 
season of close and profitable communion with God. As 
evil communications corrupt good manners, so good com- 
munications will promote good manners. Hence the great 
profit of oft communing with God. We form attachments 
for those with whom we associate. In prayer we are in 
company with God, and none to hinder or molest. There 
is no pride in the closet, no revenge, no anger. We are 
talking with the One who knows us altogether, and we 
have nothing of which to boast. There is no thought that 
you are better than that poor laborer. If you remember 
that your brother has aught against you, you will withhold 
your prayer, go and be reconciled to your brother, and 
then come and offer your prayer. 

In secret prayer you will be honest if you ever are. It 
allays the passions, and promotes the virtues. It brings 
man's will into subjection to the will of God. This is the 
great end of prayer. In the closet we will not pray God 
to forgive us while we hold enmity against a brother. 
Our prayer should be, "Father, forgive us as we have for. 



398 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

given those who trespass against us." Family worship 
was the first worship God ever gave to the world. It was 
no part of the Jewish law, and hence was not "taken out of 
the way." It is still a part of God's law, and should be 
faithfully kept in every Christian home. 

"I can not understand how God can answer prayer 
without a miracle." True, but can you understand how 
He can answer prayer with a miracle ? Understanding 
how this is, is God's part of the work. " How can prayer 
change the mind of Deity, and cause him to dj what He 
otherwise would not do?" God has promised to hear 
when you ask in faith. Hence, when you ask for such 
things as He has promised to give, He does not change 
His mind, but simply fulfills His promise. When the 
sinner obeys the gospel, and God pardons him, He does 
not change His purpose, but carries out the requirements 
of His moral government that existed from the beginning. 
It has been in the mind of God, from the creation of man, 
to do just right by him, and whatever God does for us, 
whether in answer to prayer or otherwise, is in harmony 
with His first design. 

Prayer should be studied. Before we approach the 
earthly monarch we think over what we will say when in 
his presence. So, before we approach the Almighty, we 
ought to study over what we need, that we may know 
how to pray. Approaching God with no previous prepara- 
tion of mind and heart is the next thing to insulting Him. 

III. Whom Does God Hear? — "Whatsoever is not of 
faith, is sin " (Rom. xiv. 23). "Without faith it is im- 
possible to please God" (Heb. xi. 6). " He that turneth 
away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall 
be abomination " (Prov. xxviii. 9). " Therefore, pray not 
thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for 
them, neither make intercession to me ; for I will not hear 
thee" (Jer. vii. 16). These texts answer the question, 
"Whom does God hear ?" Those who approach Him by 
faith. Those who keep His law. Why did God forbid 
Jeremiah to pray for the Jews? Evidently because they 
were in rebellion against God's law, and were too stiff- 
necked to yield to the divine mandate. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 399 

If we ooey God's will, He will hear the prayer of faith. 
Suppose we do not know His will? No amount cf pray- 
ing will give us a knowledge of His will. We must study, 
read, search the Scripture, if we would know God's will, 
and, when known, obey it. The Pentecostians, the jailer, 
Saul and Cornelius, all prayed. We judge from the 
answers to their jTrayers that they were praying for more 
light, for this was what th y promptly received. This is 
no pattern for inquirers to-day. They had no New Testa- 
ment, nor preacher to tell them, until God sent them one. 
We have both and may read and understand. "These 
things were written that you might believe that Jesus 
Christ is the Son of God, and that believing you might 
have life through his name " (John xx. 30, 31). The sinner 
who prays for the forgiveness of his alien sins, and refuses 
to do what God commands him, is as unwise as the man 
who sits in the shade and prays for his daily bread, but 
will not plow nor sow. "He shall beg in harvest, and 
have nothing" (Prov. xx. 4). And so the spiritual slug- 
gard shall beg in the great harvest, and have nothing to 
commend him to the favor of God. There is no excuse 
now for ignorance of God's requirements. 

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not 
hear me " (Ps. Ixvi. 18). The heart must be right before 
God will hear us. The oftener we pray acceptably, then 
the oftener we will be right in the sight of .God. Prayer 
does not move God so much as it does the petitioner. 
"Create in me a clean heart, O God." How does G. d 
answer this prayer ? By commanding us to do the work 
ourselves. "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify 
your hearts, ye double-minded." 

Prayer reveals the character. A father and son were 
traveling through a sparsely settled country, and carried 
much wealth on their persons. Night overtook them, and 
they were obliged to ask for lodging at a rude log hut. 
The lady gave them permission to stay, assuring them 
that the men would be home soon. Presently a large, 
roughly clad man came in, laid his rifle on the hooks, and 
sat down by the fire, but had but little to say. Soon 
another one, less prepossessing than the first, came in, 



400 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

and put away his hunting outfit. Then a third arrived, as 
rude and suspicious-looliing as the others. The travelers 
made up their minds that they had fallen into a deri of 
robbers. They asked to retire, and when in the room 
alone they planned that one should watch while the other 
slept. The father retired ; the son went on watch at a 
crack in the door. In a little while the young mbn arose 
and began to prepare for bed, explaining to his father 
that the aged man had read from the Bible and prayed 
with his family before they retired, and there was no need 
to stand guard here. Prayer told the character of the 
rude men of the forest. 

IV. For What May the Believer Pray ? — Anything 
that is in harmony with the will of God. 

1. Pray for our daily bread, but remember that God 
gives the sunlight and the rain, the soil and the seasons, 
but we must do the balance, or we will have no bread. 

2. Pray for the spread of the gospel, and remember 
that our prayer commits us to the work, whether at home 
or in the foreign fields. Simply lip service will never 
save a soul. We must pray with our money. '' The gold 
and the silver are mine, saith the Lord of hosts " (Hag. ii. 
8). God has loaned it to us. We are his husbandmen. 
He will return to settle with us ere long. And what will 
become of the man who spends God's money for tobacco 
and cigars, and has never given a nickel to send the gospel 
out of his own neighborhood? Don't pray for the en- 
largement of God's mighty empire if you don't intend to 
help it grow. Such a prayer will be an abomination in the 
mind of God. 

3. Pray for the abolition of the rum power, and pray 
hard, and pray long, and pray in faith. Will it be a prayer 
of faith if you pray for the saloon to be blotted out, and 
then go to the polls and vote for a man whom you know is 
in league with the whisky ring, or even winks at it ? Such 
a prayer is an infidel prayer, and is like the bird wallow- 
ing in the dust that rises no higher than its head. Poli- 
ticians know how to pray, and they always bear in mind 
the fact that work brings the deared result. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 401 

V. When Shall We Pray? — Jesus says, " Men ought 
always to pray " (Luke xviii. 1). Paul says, " Pray with, 
out ceasing." We can not pray when we are asleep, nor 
when the mind is preoccupied with other things as it 
often must be. What is it to " pray without ceasing"? 
Whien the Jew offered his sacrifice, morning and evening, 
as regularly as the hour came around, it was said to be of- 
fered continually, unceasingly. So, if we pray regularly, 
it may be said that we '' pray without ceasing." To pray 
to our Father in heaven should be regarded as the highest 
privilege, and in a realm far above duty. 

What a joy to know that our Father hears us when we 
cry unto Him. How our confidence is strengthened when 
we remember that we trust in the living God, who is the 
Saviour of all men, but especially of them that trust Him 
and pray to Him. Repentance, confession and prayer are 
the Christian's law of pardon (Acts viii. 22; I. John i. 9). 
Some great men, in the estimation of their ilk, do not 
know this. I was once in a meeting conducted by a man 
of great celebrity, among a class of people unknown to 
the word of G-od. A young lady went to the mourners' 
bench. She told the preacher that she wanted to confess 
her sins. He turned to I. John i. 9, and read it to her, 
and said, " You see, G-od says He will forgive you if you 
confess your sins. You are forgiven right now. " He took 
the Christian's law of pardon and applied it to the sinner. 
A blind leader is worse than no leader. Prayer does not 
do everything, but stands in its own appointed place and 
does its work. "The effectual fervent prayer of the 
righteous man availeth much " (Jas. v. 16). 

The prayer should be offered in humility, and with a 
forgiving spirit. Let the prayer be brief and simple. 
The eloquent prayer with God is the one that wells up 
from a broken and contrite heart. The words may be 
broken and inelegant ; it matters not. It is the thought 
that moves God. We should occupy a humble and becom- 
ing attitude in prayer. Sitting lacks reverence. Jesus 
would not sit on His throne while his servant Stephen was 
being stoned to death, as if He were an idle spectator to 
the bloody scene, but Stephen saw Him "standing on the 



402 TWENTIETH CEXTURY 

right hand of God " (Acts vii. 55). Standing in the 
presence of the distinguished, with uncovered head, is 
disrespectful (Mark xi. 25). Prostrating one's self before 
the worshiped, or kneeling, are both recognized in the 
New Testament (I. Cor. xvi. 25 ; Acts xx. 36). 

We do not pray to the Holy Spirit, but to the Father 
in the name of Jesus. We approach the Father through 
our Mediator, *' the man Christ Jesus "(I. Tim. ii. 5). 
"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, 
Jesus Christ the righteous " (I. John ii. 1). Our petitions 
must bear the blood-marked seal of Jesus before they are 
forwarded to the Most High. 

And now may the *' God of peace, that brought again 
from the dead our Lord Jesus, tlie great Shepherd of the 
sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make 
you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in 
you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus 
Christ ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen " 
(Heb. xiii. 20, 21). 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 403 



CHRIST IN THE PEW. 

Brother, if Christ were in the pew to-day, would you 
take for your theme : " Bees, Butterflies and Bedbugs "? 
It makes me blush to think of it. Or "Dressed Pork "? 
How the Master would hide his face for shame. Or any 
other of the many catch themes that pander to the baser 
passions of men ? No ! That strange visitor, surrounded 
by a holy atmosphere, would awe you into silence. 

Many things perfectly innocent in their place become 
unholy, not to say profane, when brought into the temple 
where the holy One dwells. Did you ever think of the 
many pleasing devices that men have sought out to intro- 
duce the multitudes to the meek and lowly Lamb of God ? 
The music, the feasts, the suppers, the entertainments, all 
of the most modern style, and cleverly arranged and adver- 
tised to deceive and catch the people. As another has 
aptly put it, '' The card is a program of ingenious device 
for obtaining money under false pretenses." 

If " our latter-day Christianity would not abolish the 
cross," it would so ''festoon it with flowers that the 
offense thereof may be hidden out of sight. " At the open- 
ing of the twentieth century the denominations are vy ng 
with each other in their strained attempt to popularize 
the Redeemer of men. This is not done without cost. As 
Christ sits in the pew to-day, and observes the real life 
fading out of his church, and giving place to that which 
feeds the passions and the depraved appetites of those 
clad in purple and fine linen (the poor he sees are not 
there), his promptings are to use a " scourge of large 
cords." But he refrains and waits for further develop- 
ments. It was out of the material temple that he drove 
the "money-changers." Now they are more deeply in- 
trenched in the spiritual temple, which is built of living 
stones, and Christ is well-nigh excluded. C! rist in the 
pew, to watch — to turn his eyes upon the people as he did 
upon Peter — would abolish the modern religious methods 



404 7 WENTIETH CENTUR Y 

of raisiDg mooey to meet the expenses of his kingdom. If 
the church at Ephesus or Philippi ever advertised a bazar, 
or an ice-cream festival, or a carnival, v^'eare not apprised 
of the fact. We are not informed that Paul ever gave a 
stereopticon lecture, Timothy operating the slides. It is 
not clearly revealed that the beloved John ever arranged a 
broom drill, an oyster supper, or a pink tea party, that 
the name of Christ might be glorified. 

How does that choir in yonder gallery look to Christ, 
who sits in the pew ? Paid singers ; some of them un- 
redeemed, unsanctified. The leader a beer-guzzler, and 
his breath saturated with the mingled fumes of alcohol and 
tobacco. The poor, deluded man thinks he is chanting 
praises to the Redeemer of men. But Christ, whe sits in 
the pew and reads his heart, sends up a prayer to his 
Father : '* Be merciful to him, for he knows not what he 
does. " But he is called by the church ; he is paid for it ; 
some are trained voices ; the people are attracted and 
pleased. Master, why not have it so ? Wouldst thou order 
it otherwise ? Christ sends up a silent note from the pew, 
and it reads : " No man can perform the smallest service 
in the worship of God's house who has not been justified 
by the blood of Christ." *' Then follows unutterable dis- 
tress of conscience." The singers are seated about the 
Lord's table, leading an important part of the worship. 
Have they been cleansed by the blood of Christ ? It had 
never been asked of them. Only, "Have you trained 
voices and harmonious ?" Yes ! 'Tis enough, and Christ 
vanishes from the pew. 

" If any one destroy the temple of God, him will God 
destroy ; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye 
are." Here Paul pictures the sin and punishment of the 
teachers who from bad motives allure men into the church, 
also the hypocrites who for worldly ends intrude them- 
selves among the faithful and bring reproach upon the 
cause. The law was rigid. Before the priest could enter 
the tabernacle, to accomplish the service of God, he must 
first come to the brazen altar and offer the sacrifice, and 
then to the laver of cleansing. "These things," says 
Paul, "happened unto them for our example. " Then let 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 405 

us learn a lesson. The types are as rigid in their teaching 
as mathematics. That the worshiper must be cleansed by 
the blood of Christ and a bath in water is clearly taught. 
The very nature of the case demands that this must be 
followed up by a correspondingly holy life, and a consist- 
eat worship of God. In Christ we are all kings and 
priests to God. '* Ye are a royal priesthood, an holy na- 
tion, a peculiar people. " Under the law every priest had 
to pass through a bath of water before he could officiate. 
So, under the gospel, every priest must be bathed or be 
'' born of water." This baptism (immersion) must be at- 
tended by the necessary antecedents and consequents in 
order to make it effectual. Cleansed by the blood of 
Christ, the life must be holy, separate, undefiled. 

Is this what Christ finds when he comes to church to- 
day ? Methinks he would conclude from what he sees 
from his humble pew, that the ''sacred negro minstrels," 
"dances," ''light operas" and "progressive euchre" 
are more essential to the salvation of men than prayer, 
holy worship, the study of the Bible or the Lord's 
Supper. 

I have gathered from my reading some things I wish to 
show you. They are such things as Christ sees when he 
occupies the pew in a modern church. A minister came to 
his charge and was eager to lead his people up into a 
higher life. He was hardly installed into his new pastor- 
ate when the Presbyterians, to take the audience from the 
new preacher, organized a girls' sewing-school. To check- 
mate this, the new preacher organized a Boys' Brigade 
and went in debt for the outfit. Then the Methodists gave 
a Sunday-school picnic. Then the new minister put an 
orchestra in his Sunday-school. Christ from the pew saw 
only strife, a worldly ambition to build up a party, to 
strengthen sectarian bonds. "And are these my follow- 
ers ?" " Is this my church ?" are some of the sad inquiries 
that swell up in the bosom of Him who sits in the pew, 
and remembers afresh the bitter cup of the garden. But 
the chapter continues, and we are pained to note the un- 
scrupulous methods resorted to to raise mo..ey for the 
Lord's (?) cause. 



406 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

"At a Roman Catholic fair barrels of beer were among 
the prizes." Blood money. Device of Satan. The pre- 
tended cause of religion prostituted to the basest purposes. 

Not long since some sketch artist rendered the sur- 
passingly excellent act, " Casey at the Bat," in the Meth- 
odist Church at Middleboro, Mass., for the benefit of the 
organ fund. 

About the same time and in the same State the Church 
of the Epiphany at Winchester presented "The Mikado." 
The press said, in reporting the performance, "The 
Church of the Epiphany succeeded in imparting a clever 
swing to the catching solos and rollicking chorus, that 
took the audience by storm.'' And Christ in the pew ? 
The meek and lowly Lamb of God witnessing these low 
and desecrating scenes? The press concludes, "The 
Church of the Epiphany, as a producer of light operatic 
diversions, has crowned itself with glory." Christ from 
his pew points to the "handwriting on the wall, " "Verily 
I say unto you. They have their reward, for they loved 
the praise of men more than the praise of God," 

At Mont Clair, N. J., the First Baptist Church gave 
a social. It was reported in the New York Sun. The 
guests were to be disLinguislied by plainness of dress. 
Fines were imposed for any dress that, in the minds of 
judges, was out of harmony with the occasion. The fines 
amounted to seventy-five dollars. 

The same evening, in Avon, Mass., the Baptist Church 
gave a "Living Picture Show." A soprano sang "Heart 
of My Heart," and the dainty love song "Celeste," and 
"Over the Garden Wall." 

The same week, in an adjoining town, the Universalist 
Church gave a "Female Negro Minstrel Show." The 
jokes were "uproariously funny," and some of them were 
of such a character that they would not be admitted to the 
columns of a religious paper. 

At Middleboro the Unitarians enlivened the perform- 
ance with a soug-and-dance turn, an impersonation of the 
" Bowery Girl, " and a skirt-dance. 

And was Christ in the pew, a witness to all this base 
gambling for money, under the pretext of wishing to build 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 407 

up a spiritual empire ? Nay, verily. Fearful lest He be 
counted as giving aid and comfort to such ungodly work, 
the Christ quietly rose, drew his mantle around him, the 
spiritual atmosphere was very chilly, and departed, re- 
peating as he retired, " Thy money perish with thee. " It 
was a more severe scourging than the dear Christ received 
in Pilate's judgment hall. Then the lash was in the hands 
of his enemies. In these mock scenes just narrated, the 
cruel throngs, with iron ends, were in the hands of his' 
pretended friends. 

Notwithstanding Christ was scourged out of his own 
house with rods that cut to the heart, he came back again. 
The true lover and faithful worshiper always will. Special 
music was on the program for the day, but Jesus had not 
received one The humble are often slighted. "A quar- 
tette by the elite of the city ; violin and piano accompani- 
ment by Professors Gay and Jolly." So reads the gilt- 
edged card program. Christ was early in the pew, enjoy- 
ing a few moments of quiet and holy meditation. Unan- 
nounced, the great organ pealed forth its double bass, as 
Professor Nogood ran over a voluntary. Christ, by his 
miracle power, touched the heart-strings of some of the 
more spiritually minded and caused them to vibrate after 
this fashion : " Wherefore came the Christ unto that hour 
when his soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto 
death?" "Was it that we might live delicately, and 
bring in the minstrels to perform before us in God's 
house ? " " Have we not been appointed to bear his cross 
and to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of 
Chriit for his body's sake, which is the church ?" "Has he 
not enjoined upon us the sacrifice of praise, even the fruit 
of our lips?" "But this sumptuous music, the unholy 
attempt at the worship of God ; from whence is this, from 
heaven or of men ?" " How awful it would be to have the 
Christ come to our meetings (unconscious of the fact that 
he was there) and listen to such heartless, soulless machine 
worship." Christ in the pew, with bowed head and sub- 
dued spirit, could scarcely refrain from a public approval 
of these pointed inquiries. 



408 TWENTIETH CENTVRY 

What is the mind of Christ on this subject ? He 
answers : "My Father is a Spirit, and they that worship 
him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. Speak one 
to another in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, 
making melody with your hearts unto the Lord." There 
are no hymns written for the unconverted to sing. Such 
can not sing the songs of Zion in spirit and in truth. If 
God's children are not aided by the Roly Spirit, that they 
may "make melody with their mind unto the Lord," what 
better is their service of song than that of a theater troop ? 
If Grod's people are so hard pressed that they feel com- 
pelled to buy the service of song, and worship God by 
proxy, that they may keep peace with something more 
worldly than they, truly this is a calamity greatly to be 
deplored. 

Are we striving to please the world, or Christ ? Are 
we seeking to be popular, or to save souls ? If you knew 
that Christ would be at church next Lord's Day, how 
would you like the service to be ? Shall the preacher de- 
scant on "A man up a tree," or " The meanest man in 
town "? Oh, no ; but rather on "The love of God as mani- 
fest in Jesus," "The Resurrection," or " Holy Living.* 
And what shall we sing, that we may best please our 
Master, who will sit with us that day ? Something oper- 
atic, some love ditty ? Oh, perish the thought I But with 
souls on fire with zeal for God and His holy cause, let us 
sing, "King Jesus, reign forever more," or "Rock of 
Ages, cleft for me, " or ' 'All hail the power of Jesus ' name. ' ' 
Let these be sung with such holy fervor as to bear the 
worshiper's soul away to fairer worlds on high. Oh, 
brothers, let us make the worship so holy and inspiring 
that it will be a season of refreshing from the presence of 
the Lord. If we do this, Christ will meet with us again. 
Yes, He will be in every worshiper's pew every Lord's 
Day. When I remember why Christ does not come to 
church more than He does, my heart grows sick. His 
house is turned into a playhouse. The worshipers have be- 
come idolaters. They worship Him with their lips, while 
their hearts are far from Him. They are seeking the praise 
of man. They are making most beautiful melody with 



>SERMONS AXD ADDRESSES. 409 

their lips, but their hearts are unregenerate, wicked, cor- 
rupt. They are making show of their purple and gold. 
The answer to all this is, "Be not deceived, God is not 
mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also 
reap. " Grod help us to purify the temple. 

" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that 
the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the 
temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of 
God is holy, which temple ye are" (T. Cor. iii. 16, 17). 
Some of our best authorities tell us that this Scripture 
does not refer to personal impurities, such as the indul- 
gence of fleshly lusts and passions; but rather to the cor- 
porate body, the church, which is spoken of under the 
figure of a temple. This seems to be in perfect accord 
with Eph. ii. 21, 22: "In whom all the building fitly 
framed together, grovv^eth unto a holy temple in the Lord: 
in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of 
God through the Spirit." 

To defile the temple of God, or Church of Christ, is to 
bring within its precincts, or under its influence, "secu- 
lar and carnal indulgences," unholy amusements and god- 
less entertainments to pander to the "lusts of the eyes, 
the lusts of the flesh and the pride of life. " Can a devout 
Christian look at the following catalogue without blush- 
ing? "Performers brought from the opera or from the 
theater on Sunday to regale the ears of the church with 
some flighty song of artistic musical display; a star vio- 
linist dressed in the style of his profession, preparing the 
way for the sermon by a brilliant and fantastic solo; a 
curtain drawn across the pulpit platform on a week night, 
footlights and scenery brought from the playhouse, and 
a drama enacted by the young people of the church, end- 
ing with a dance by the gaily dressed children ; a comic 
reader filling the pulpit on Monday evening, delivering 
a caricature sermon amid the convulsive laughter and 
hand-clapping of the Christians present " 

These are but a few acts in the comedy which the god 
of this world is performing weekly in church assemblies. 
Taken with the dramatic readings, literary entertainments, 
amateur theatricals, fairs, frolics, festivals and lotteries, 



410 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

the story is enough to make the angels of the churches 
blush, and to give fresh occasion for an apostle's tears 
while he utters the solemn verdict : "For many walk, of 
whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weep- 
ing, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. 
Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and 
whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." 
Christ from the pew witnesses these revolting scenes. 
In subdued silence He weeps over the apostate church. 
Christ once said, "I will never leave you nor forsake 
you. " But, alas ! how shamefully the church has deserted 
the meek and lowly Lamb of God. His company seems 
comparatively less than on that memorable journey to 
Emmaus. We may desert the Christ, and slight His 
pleadings; we may bar the door against His knockings 
and in His very face till He will never more return. We 
may so desecrate His holy temple that He will no longer 
dwell therein. 

Church amusements, vain attempts to please the 
world, are "parasites hiding under a religious exterior, 
while they eat out the life of Christianity. " The preacher 
is perplexed to-day to know how to entertain the people. 
If he can send everybody home with an easy conscience, 
he will have a large hearing at his next appointment. 
The great art to-day is to learn how to preach without 
disturbing anybody. When Christ is in the pulpit, the 
people are disturbed, uneasy, and they would rather He 
would not come into the temple, but tarry in one of the 
outer courts. If any shall think this overscrupulous or 
faultfinding, please tarry with us but a little longer. 

Let us look upon the service of the Roman Catholic 
Church, that arrogant and godless usurper that with 
brazen-faced effrontery would sit in the place of the Most 
High. " How is it possible that the simple, spiritual wor- 
ship of the primitive church could have degenerated into 
such a mass of grotesque ceremonials and idolatrous 
abominations as are here exhibited? " History furnishes 
the answer. In the beginning the church was pleased to 
obey Christ. "Wherefore come out from amoi^g them, 
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the un- 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES, 411 

clean thin^ ; and T will receive you." The church was 
entirely separate from the world. 

The strict observance of the law of Christiari discipline 
was displeasing to the " heathen who had often desired to 
be friendly with the Christians, and were ready to toler- 
ate their religion if only they would accord some slight 
token of respect to their own deities — a gesture of rever- 
ence, or a grain of incense." This the disciples of Christ 
would not do. They would not tolerate the smallest 
recognition of pagan customs. Not a thread would they 
weave into the simple worship of the true God, from the 
distaff of heathenism. While the church was governed 
by this pure spirit and maintained her proper attitude 
toward the world, she "swayed the multitudes as the 
cyclone sways the forest." "The disciples went every- 
where preaching the word." 

When Constantine, the Roman emperor, became a 
Christian, the sentiment gradually changed, and the idea 
grew that in order to convert the heathen it was neces- 
sary to make peace with them by admitting some of their 
customs into the church. Augustine the Great was of the 
same view. He said: "When peace was made between 
the emperors of Rome and the church, the crowd of Gen- 
tiles who were anxious to embrace Christianity were de- 
terred by this, that whereas they had been accustomed to 
pass the holidays in drunkenness and feasting before their 
idols, they could not easily consent to forego these most 
pernicious yet ancient pleasures. It seemed good, then, 
to our leaders to favor this part of weakness, and for 
these festivities which they had relinquished, to substitute 
others in honor of the holy martyrs, which they might 
celebrate with similar luxury, though not with the same 
impiety." This was the opening up of the flood-gate 
through which has swept so much corruption that Christ 
is well-nigh banished from his pew. "Saints' worship, 
idol worship, virgin worship," with all their attendant 
evils, came trooping into the church, "till in an incredibly 
short time the church which had gone forth to Christianize 
the heathen, was found to have become herself completely 



412 TWENTIETH CENTUM Y 

paganized. ' ' As corruption crept in, the power and purity 
of the church began to wane. Ere long there were many- 
pews where Christ was not. Darkness came, the light of 
God's temple went out, and the world's midnight hovered 
over the world like a pall of death. 



SEMMONS AND ADDRESSES. 413 



FAITH. 

Twenty-five years ago, in the gray of morning, the 
lamp of a poor woman tipped over in Chicago. The 
straw in the shed where she was milking, caught on fire. 
This ignited the shed, then adjoining buildings, and then 
others and others, until one of the mightiest cities of our 
continent lay in ashes. 

Nearly nineteen centuries ago Jesus of Nazareth, the 
living flame of the heart of God, walked and taught in the 
land of Judaea, until a dozen plain men caught fire. From 
them others caught it, and still others and others. At 
length paganism took alarm, and Rome rang all her fire- 
bells, and called out all her engines of persecution, but in 
vain. She had subdued all nations, but could not quench 
this conflagration. It wrapped the palace of the Caesars, 
and consternation kindled to the scepter of the Nazarene. 
On and still on the conflagration swept — the Chicago fire 
of the ages — spreading wider and mounting higher, until 
we hear, crash after crash, the far-sounding thunders of 
the falling temples of sin. The amphitheater, that temple 
of human cruelty, fell. The degradation of woman fell. 
Human slavery fell. It is but a third of a century since 
our own continent rocked from ocean to ocean, in the 
throes of a great struggle, until the chains fell from the 
limbs of four millions of human beings. Who did this ? 
I hear you speak of Phillips and Garrison and Beecher, 
and Mrs. Stowe, and her '"Uncle Tom's Cabin." These 
were but torch-bearers. Who did it? Jesus Christ did 
it. It was He who kindled that new passion in the world, 
man's brother-love to man. It was in the growing heart- 
beat of the nations that those chains were melted, and the 
end is not yet ; the vision at long range is not pessimistic. 
Other wrongs shall go down. Ominous flames are creep- 
ing about that colossal temple, the saloon. Massive in 
masonry, laid in human blood, begirt with gold, deep- 
founded in cupidity, it may withstand for a time, but it, 
must fall. Ye women with upturned faces white in prayer, 
pray on ! Work on ! Weep your tears, but not without 
hope! Brethren, "help those noble women." Smite, 
pray, be strong of heart. Failure in brave battle here is 
not defeat. In the sword-flash and sword-clash there is 
light heat. It shall not be lost. The heart-fires of the 
nations are waxing. In this fervent heat the wrongs of 
the earth shall consume away, and there shall be a new 
world wherein dwells righteousness. 



414 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

We did not see Chicago burn, but believe it was 
burned. We did not see Jesus when here, but we believe 
He trod the vine-clad hills of Judaea. We did not see 
Him tear down the blood-stained amphitheaters, and 
strike the shackles from the Roman slave, but we believe 
He did. We did not see Jesus kindle the fire that consumed 
the spirit of universal monarchy, but we believe He did. 
We have not seen His religion master the accursed saloon, 
but we believe it will. This is faith. We shall treat this 
subject under the following heads; viz.: 

1. What is faith? 

2. How does faith come? 

3. Office of faith. 

4. Quality of faith. 

5. Power of faith. 

6. Faith will turn to knowledge. 

Let us take up these six divisions in their order: 

1. What is faith f The Greek word pistis occurs in the 
New Testament 244 times, and means faith, belief, firm 
persuasion, assurance, firm conviction. The verb x^isteuo 
is found 246 times, and means to believe, give credit to, 
to have a mental persuasion. 

First, let us look at it negatively, that we may see it 
more clearly from the opposite view-point. Faith is not 
a direct, special gift from God. It is not the mere assent 
of the mind to the truth of a proposition. Neither is it a 
divine act. Faith, primarily considered, is composed of 
two elements. The first is the assent of the mind that 
the proposition is true. 

The second element is, to be pleased with the proposi- 
tion, or to be committed thereto. At this point is where 
many are led astray. All men and devils who believe that 
Jesus is the Christ have this first element of faith, but 
too many are wanting in the second. They acknowledge 
that Jesus is Christ, but they are not entirely satisfied 
with the statement, hence do not commit themselves 
thereto. Herein is seen the difi'erence in the attitude of 
God and the devil to the divine truth that Jesus is the Mes- 
siah. God acknowledged Him when He said, "Hear ye 
him," and "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 415 

pleased," but devils believed and trembled, and rejected 
the Christ. If you will do what Christ" commands, you 
have the faith of the Christian; if you hear and do not, 
you have the faith of devils. According to the New Tes- 
tament, the primitive disciples believed in Jesus. They 
were content with His own statement of doctrine. They 
went where He led them, obeyel what He commanded, 
and trusted Him with childlike faith for the promise. 

Faith is belief, confidence, trust. It is a mental act 
(Heb. xi. 6). It is the foundation of our hope (Heb. xi. 1). 
Here Paul says it is the " substance of things hoped for, 
the evidence of things not seen. ' ' This word ' ' substance ' ' 
comes from two words in the Greek which, when put to- 
gether as they are here, mean "standing under." Hence 
Paul said, faith stands under our hope. How natural. 
You do not hope for something until you first believe you 
will receive it. A's house burned last night ; B reports 
it to you ; you believe the report, and then you say, "I 
hope the family was spared " First the fact, then the re- 
port ; your faith takes hold of and you believe the report, 
and out of this rises your hope. The apostle says it is 
"the evidence of things not seen." The word "evidence" 
signifies to "see from." Hence we stand upon faith as 
a sure foundation, and look away "beyond the stars and 
beyond the sun," to our prepared home in heaven. Faith 
covers al) the past, and reaches into the boundless future. 
The great fact to be believed is "Jesus is the Christ, the 
Son of the living God." We have the written testimony 
to enable us to believe "These things are written" 
(John XX. 31) Out of this testimony grows our faith in 
Jesus Christ, and then we can with all confidence say, 
" Our home is in heaven. " 

2. How does faith come f It does not come mysteri- 
ously. We know how and when we obtained our faith. It 
always comes by believing testimony. It does not come 
without an effort on our part. " These things are written 
that ye might believe," says the sacred writer. We must 
investigate the testimony. The mind takes hold of the 
evidence, weighs it, measures it, and, if found good, it 
believes it. Faith does not come by prayer. We must 



416 T WENTIETH CENT UR Y 

have faith in a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God 
before we can pray acceptably, for " whatsoever is not of 
faith is sin. " We pray because we have faith. If we pray 
for faith, and it is a Scriptural prayer, God will answer it 
just as he does our prayers for our daily bread. He does 
not hand us our bread from heaven already prepared for 
the table. We are to "earn our bread in the sweat of our 
face." This is the divine order. When we plow and sow 
and reap, we are praying God for a harvest, and it has 
never failed us. God has given us the soil, and promised 
sunshine and rain and harvest ; man does the balance. 
God sent his Son, and has given us abundance of testi- 
mony concerning Him. Hence the declaration, "So then 
faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God " 
(Rom. X. 17). Where there is no testimony, there is no 
faith. When testimony begins, faith begins ; and when 
testimony ends, faith ends. Our faith in what God has 
spoken, begins with this statement, "In the beginning 
God created the heavens and the earth," and ends with 
the "Amen " of Revelation. 

"But," says one, "is not faith the gift of God?" 
And he quotes Eph. ii. 8: "For by grace are ye saved 
through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the gift 
of God." Yes, faith is the gift of God. So is our bread, 
and the water we drink, but we must plow and sow for the 
one, and dig for the other. God is behind every good and 
perfect gift, but He does not bestow mysteriously, miracu- 
lously, nor without means. In the verse quoted, salvation 
is the subject, and not faith. Salvation is the gift of God, 
but it is bestowed upon conditions. Is seeing the gift of 
God ? Certainly not. The eye is God's precious gift, and 
the sunlight, but we can close our eyes and refuse to see. 
Hearing is not the gift of God. The ear, and the music 
of all nature, are his handiwork, but we can stop our ears 
and refuse to hear. So it is with faith. God gave us His 
Son, and the convincing testimony concerning Him, but 
we can refuse to believe it and be lost eternally, if we 
will, and God can not help it. If this is not true, and 
faith is the direct gift of God, why does He not give to 
all, saving faith, and none will be lost ? If God saves 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 417 

men miraculously, why does He not dry up the fountains 
of sin, and the cess-pools of moral pollution, and put a 
stop to the ten thousand iniquities that are sapping the 
life of our nation ? To ask the question is to answer it. 
It is not God's way of doing, and hence is not the best. 
" He that belie veth not shall be damned," sa^s Jesus. He 
evidently means all who are capable of believing. What 
is the matter with him who has the testimony before him ? 
Why does he not believe ? There is nothing in the way 
but his own will. " Ye will not come to me that ye may 
have life, " says the Master. We can believe the gospel 
of Christ without immediate divine aid, and be saved, just 
as easily as we can believe a lie and be lost. If human 
nature can not believe the gospel without divine aid, then 
our salvation depends upon conditions entirely beyond 
our reach, and if we are lost because of disbelief, God will 
be entirely responsible for the loss. This is a palpable 
contradiction to every feature of God's redemption plan, 
which, at every point, recognizes the free agency of man. 
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock ; if any man hear 
my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and 
sup with him, and he with me " (Rev. iii. 20). Notice, "If 
any man hear my voice, and open the door." Who is to 
do the hearing ? Man. Who is to open the door — Jesus 
or man ? The text says man. This forever settles the 
question of man's free moral agency. 

To be convinced that a report is true is to believe the 
report. All faith comes in the same way ; viz. : through 
the belief of testimony. To avoid confusion, it must be 
remembered that faith and knowledge are two very dif- 
ferent things. There are three conditions of the mind 
possible to man. The first is opinion ; second, faith, and 
third, knowledge. A man standing in front of the bank, 
and looking to the southeast, seeing a fire, says : "It is 
my opinion that the tin-plate mill is burning. " A reliable 
gentleman approaches from the scene of the fire, and says, 
"The tin-plate mill is burning." B no longer urges his 
opinion, but says, "I believe." He goes to the scene of 
the fire, and, having seen, he says, " I know the tin-plate 
mill is burning." Opinion rests upon a low degree of 



418 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

testimony. Faith rests upon reliable testimony. Knowl- 
edge is based upon what you can see and reach with your 
own faculties. 

Faith is as strong as personal knowledge. You never 
saw Greenland. But you may start for that ice-bound 
country to-morrow, with as much assurance of reaching 
the place, if your life is spared, as if you were going to 
some place that you had previously visited. On what 
would your faith rest, that gives you so much assurance ? 
On the testimony of geographers and explorers who have 
been to that country ? Strange, is it not, how much faith 
we have in men, and how little we have in God ? Whence 
came Noah's faith ? He was warned of God. God com- 
muned with him, telling him what to do, and he believed 
God. The Gentiles believed. How? ''The Gentiles by 
my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and be- 
lieve " (Acts XV. 7). "Peter spoke unto him words, and 
Cornelius and his house were saved " (Acts xi. 14). "How 
shall they call on him in whom they have not believed ? 
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not 
heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" 
These Scriptures prove that "faith comes by hearing the 
word of God." 

3. Office of faith. The office of faith is to purify the 
heart. "And put no difference between us and them, 
purifying their hearts by faith " (Acts xv. 9). Faith 
drives away unbelief ; it purifies the mind of doubts and 
uncertainties. As light and darkness can not occupy the 
same place at the same time, no more can disbelief and 
faith dwell in the same mind on the same subjact at the 
same time. The belief of the testimony of the four evan- 
gelists concerning the Christ will purify the mind of all 
infidelity, and make one a child of God by faith in Jesus 
Christ. Again, it is the office of faith to give one the 
power or privilege to become a son of God. To how 
many is given the privilege to become the sons of God ? 
"Even to them that believe on his name " (John i. 12). 

4. Quality of faith. Faith is strong or weak according 
as the testimony is strong or weak. We believe men in 
their statements regarding the most abstruse and intri- 



SERMOi^S AND ADDRESSES. 419 

cate sciences, when we know that they have made many 
mistakes along the same line. Why can we not believe 
God, who makes no mistakes ? The apostle says the tes- 
mony of God is greater than the testimony of men (I. 
John V. 9). Let us believe it, then, and enjoy the fruits. 

5. Power of faith.. The power of faith is not in be- 
lieving, but in what we believe. There is no particular 
virtue in believing in the call of Abraham or Moses or 
Elias or John the Baptist. These distinguished worthies 
lived under a different dispensation. In their day and 
time they spoke with authority, but Christ has supplanted 
them. On the Mount of Transfiguration the Father 
added importance to the occasion by speaking from the 
heavens, pronouncing this gorgeous sentence, "This is 
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ; hear ye 
him " (Matt. xvii. 5). " Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house ' ' (Acts xvi. 31). 
•'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall 
he live " (John xi. 25). These Scriptures affirm that our 
faith must rest in Christ. 

We may believe a multitude of important truths and 
facts and be lost. If we believe in Jesus Christ as the New 
Testament teaches, He will save us from our sins and give 
us a right to the tree of life. It is the object of faith, and 
not faith itself, that saves us. " G-od so loved the world 
that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
lieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" 
(John iii. 16). The Christian's faith rests in, and takes 
hold of a personal Christ. Not in opinions or doctrines, 
not in theories about God and Christ, but faith, confidence 
or trust in Him who is the resurrection and the life. 
Some men talk about "saving faith," and "soul-reviving 
faith," and "evangelical faith." and " devil- trembling 
faith." The Bible knows nothing of these faiths. They 
were hatched in some theological incubator, set on by 
some creed-bound dominie who knew his Discipline better 
than he did the Bible. Paul says, " There is one faith " 
(Eph. iv. 5). And since there is but one Lord, this one 
faith must rest in Him. This makes it plain, removing 
everv doubt. 



420 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

6. Faith miil tm^.t& hwi^itftedge. The infidel says there 
is no faith, and scouts the idea of resting secure upon 
testimony concerning the Christ, which is two thousand 
years old. Where there is no faith there is no develop- 
ment. Faith is the foundation of every education, and 
of all education. Imagine an infidel father talking to 
his little boy as follows: "My son, you are now old 
enough to begin to learn some lessons, and I want yo\x 
to be sure never to believe anything that people tell you 
until they prove it to you. " Very good. To-morrow the 
boy starts to school. The teacher calls him up to recite 
his first lesson in the alphabet. She points to the letter 
"A," and asks him what it is. He says, '' I don't know." 
She says, " You may call that A. " " But how do I know 
it's A? " "You must believe what I say about it," says 
the teacher. But the kid remarks, "Father says I must 
not believe anything until you prove it to me." What 
would you think of a teacher who would go to the black- 
board and undertake the impossible task of demonstrating 
to that untutored mind that A, B and C are what she says 
they are ? He must accept it by faith ; and until he does, 
he can never advance a single step. He believes, and ad- 
vances to ah\ the teacher asks what a b spells. He does 
not know. She tells him ; he believes it, and moves on to 
the next lesson. Every step is taken by faith. The stu- 
dent goes on until he can turn his telescope towards the 
heavens and measure the distance to the remotest visible 
star, and beyond that is something that he must accept by 
faith. God is behind it all — the invisible One whom we 
must accept by faith, since we can not see Him. 

Almost everything begins in faith. By faith Columbus 
discovered America. By faith Dr. Franklin captured the 
lightning by sending up his kite. By faith Professor 
Morse taught it the English language. By faith Edison 
put it in harness and educated it to be the greatest servant 
of man. Destroy faith, and you sap the foundation of all 
business pursuits. If in the morning the business men in 
our great trade centers were to wake from their rest and 
find that they had lost all faith in men, there woald not be 
a dollar's worth of goods leave their stores on credit. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 421 

" Have you got a $20 silver bill in your pocket ? " I hope 
so ; they are good things to have. " What will you take 
for it ? " Twenty silver dollars. What makes it worth so 
much? The paper that it is printed on is in a manner 
worthless. What gives it its value ? The faith of the 
people in the ability and integrity of the Government to 
redeem the promise that is printed on its face. Destroy 
the faith and the bill will be worth no more than the paper 
that bears the promise. If such faith in men, why not in 
God? " Oh," says one, "I have seen men, and I know 
them, and am acquainted with them. God I have not 
seen ; I do not know Him, and have no acquaintance with 
Him." Wretched man that thou art. If you Have never 
seen God, you are blind, physically and mentally ; deaf 
and dumb, ani wholly irresponsible. 

But this is not j'^our condition. As you read this page, 
you see, think, hear with the mind, and have mental 
action. This makes you a responsible being. Have you 
never seen God ? Then look up at the starlit sky when no 
cloud obscures your vision, and see God in his almighty 
creative power. Explain the wisdom and marvelous power 
that made world on world that you behold, and keeps the 
machinery of this magnificent universe running with 
faultless precision, and leave God out of the account if 
you can. He who undertakes this, will find he has a hard 
job on his hands. Look into your neighbor's honest eye. 
See it beaming with kindness and lovj. You see thought 
clearly expressed in the intelligent eye. From whence 
came thought, if there was not first a thinker ? And who 
was the first thinker if it was not God? Reader, hear me. 
" There are sermons in stones and running brooks, and God 
in every tiling.''' If you are not acquainted with Him, and do 
not know Him by faith, it is your fault, and God can not 
be held accountable for results that come from your need- 
less, and many times willful, failures. There is great 
power in faith that works by love and purifies the heart, 
for it is sustained by such marvelous and convincing testi- 
mony. The footprints of God are seen everywhere, and 
we can not escape their convincing and convicting power. 



422 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

If you are a doubter, aud your faith falters at times, 
study the following illustration. An atheist of no mean 
attainments was once traveling in the Oriental land, and 
had an Arab for his guide. The Arabs are firm believers 
in the true God. This the traveler knew. One day he 
twitted the Arab about his God, telling him there was no 
God ; that all these things came by chance. This bothered 
the poor, simple minded child of the desert. They came 
to their camping-place. The tents were pitched, and, 
supper over, they retired to rest. The traveler recounted 
the scenes of the day ; the Arab thought of the white man 
who did not believe in God. With the first peep of day 
the Arab arose, pushed aside the east door of his tent, 
lifted his eyes toward heaven, and presented his morning 
oblation, thanking God for protection through the night. 
At the conclusion of his sacrifice he cast his eyes toward 
the ground, and observed the track of a camel in the sand, 
A thought came to him. He could hardly wait for the 
traveler to arise. Presently he arose, prepared his toilet, 
and came out of his tent, The Arab hastened to greet 
him, salutinghim in true Oriental style, and said, "Master, 
may I ask you a question ? " "With the greatest free- 
dom," said the traveler; "what would you inquire of 
me ? " " Master, how do I know that a camel went by my 
tent last night while I was asleep ? " "I suppose you see 
his track in the sand," answered the traveler." "So, so," 
said the Arab, with a smile. Just then the sun was climb- 
ing up over the mountains of Moab, lighting up the sands 
of the desert like so many diamonds. The Arab pointed 
his finger at the burning orb, and triumphantly said : "So 
do I know there is a God, for / see His track in the 
lieavens. " 

Faith alone, however important, is not enough. Faith 
never made a person a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, 
though it is absolutely essential to that end. The Script- 
ure affirms that we are justified or saved by faith, because 
faith is- the principle of action, and, as such, the cause of 
those acts by which such blessings are enjoyed. But the 
principle without the action amounts to notliing. It is 
only by doing the things which faith prompts us to per- 



SmiMONS AND ADDRESSES. 423 

form that it becomes the instrument of the many bless- 
ings ascribed to it in the Scriptures. 

Faith is the principle of action. The act is the develop- 
ment of the principle. It is not faith, but the acts result- 
ing from, or growing out of, faith, that changes our state, 
and puts us where God has promised to meet us and par- 
don us. Immersion is an act of faith, which is an act of 
the mind, to be performed, not because we believe in the 
water, but because we believe in Jesus who commands us 
to be immersed. The immersion of a pentinent believer is 
the cousumation of his part of the work, which, according 
to the divine arrangement, makes him a citizen of the 
kingdom of God's dear Son. He is now adopted into the 
family of God, is pardoned of all past sins. Not a sin 
stands charged against him (Acts ii. 38; Acts iii. 19). He 
now starts out in this new life, under a new King and a 
new law, to develop such a character as will in the end 
commend him to the favor of God. All this begins in 
faith, and is perfected by obedience. " Ye see then how 
that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only " 
(Jas. ii. 24). '' Faith without works is dead, . . . and by- 
works was faith made perfect" (Jas. ii. 20-22). Such is 
the inspired testimony. "And now abideth faith, hope 
charity, . . . but the greatest of these is charity," or love 
(I. Cor. xiii. 13). In heaven faith will be lost, and knowl- 
edge will take its p^ace ; hope will be lost in realization; 
but love will be the ruling and reigning principle, world 
without end.' "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, 
shall never die. " — Jesus. 



424 TWENTIETH CENTURY 



KEPENTANCE. 

(Acts xvii SO ) 

I. Introduction — There are many things about which 
we may safely differ, but they are not commands to 
be obeyed, nor facts to be believed. In opinions we may 
safely differ. There is nothing hanging on the belief of aa 
opinion. You may have your opinions about the oper- 
ations of Holy Spirit, about soul-sleeping. Christian 
science, etc. Entertain them. But when you begin to 
teach them for the doctrine of Christ you become a sect- 
maker, a heretic, and Paul says you can not inherit the 
kingdom of God (Gal. v. 20, 21). Where God speaks, you 
have no right to an opinion. The text says God "com- 
mands all men everywhere to repent. " Dare you say any- 
thing more or less ? Dare you differ from God ? Not if 
you believe Him. 

Where, then, is there any room for an opinioQ ? There 
is none. Faith in Jesus rests on divine testimony. "In 
that he has raised him from the dead." On this ground, 
we are commanded to repent. We can not differ here if 
we would, if we let God guide us. 

II. What is Repentance ? — "A godly sorrow for sin," 
says one. But the Bible does not so affirm. Paul says : 
"For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation not to 
be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh 
death " (II. Cor. vii. 10). Repentance is a sorrow for sin, 
but it is more. Sorrow is a feeling of the mind only, and 
since "godly sorrow works repentance," it can not be re- 
pentance itself. The sorrow must be so deep that it will 
lead to the abandonment of sin, in order to be effectual. 
Repentance is to reformation what motive is to action. 
To resolve is good, to execute is better. 

A faith built upon the testimony God has given us of 
His Son will always produce repentance. And it is the 
easiest thing in the world to tell what repentance is. It is 
always made up of three elements; viz.: 1. Sorrow for 



SERMONS AND ADD BESSES. 426 

having committed sin. 2. Confession of sin. 3 A turnings 
away from sin. Repentance is a sorrow that leads to 
reformation. There are two words in the Greek language, 
wide apart in meaning, but rendered by the same word 
"repent" in King James'. One word means sorrow, or 
regret. The other, a sorrow that leads to a reformation 
of life. The voice of scholarship says : 

The Greek word translated ''repentance" indicates 
change — conversion. It imports change of mind or dispo- 
sition, and that, too, for the better. We have, indeed, 
more than one Greek word translated by this term "re- 
pentance." One of them indicates a change, whether for 
better or worse. But that word expressing the will of 
God concerning us, uniformly in the New Testament, de- 
notes a change for the better. We are sometimes asked 
what is the difference between faith and repentance, since 
they are both expressive of change ? We reply that the 
idea of change is not contained in the word "faith," 
although it usually implies a change ; it is rather expres- 
sive of rest, of trust, of simple confidence. But the word 
" repentance " is itself expressive of change. Faith re- 
spects that which is true ; repentance, that which is right. 
Faith looks away from falsehood and error to the truth ; 
repentance looks away from sin to righteousness and holi- 
ness. It is "repentance from dead works to serve the 
living God " (Heb. vi. 1). 

A man may be sorry for the wrong done, but make no 
effort to amend the wrong. This is simply regret. 
Jud .s regretted that he betrayed his Master, and acknowl- 
edged his wrong, but his sorrow wrought no reformation. 
It was of this world and brought death. The prodigal 
son was sorry ; he confessed his wrong ; he reformed his 
life. This is the repentance that Jesus enjoins. We see, 
from Scriptural examples, that sorrow or regret does not 
always lead to reformation. Reformation is the fruit of 
repentance. God will accept such fruit instead of perfect 
obedience. How thankful we should be for such mercy. 
If we had to render perfect obedience, every one of us 
would be cut down as cumberers of the ground. We are 
guilty of the wrong committed until we repent. If we are 
not sorry for the wrong committed, we are glad of it ; and 
God can not forgive while the offender is impenitent. 



426 TWENTIETH CENTURY 

This would be to offer a premium on sin, and put the pen- 
itent and the impenitent upon the same ground. 

A wicked man upon his death-bed told the boys to take 
his body, after he was dead, and bury it in a deep grave in 
the middle of the big cor d field ; then plow east and west, 
north and south, backward and forward over his grave 
until all trace of it was obliterated. What was the mat- 
ter ? He had not repented. Every sin was charged 
against him. He was afraid to meet God. He wanted to 
be forgotten. 

III. What is the Office of Repentance ? — To change 
the life. The repentance taught in the New Testament 
requires the abandonment of sin. This means a new 
character, conduct, l.fe. John the Baptist came, crying, 
''Reform your lives ; amend your ways." Reform your- 
self, and there'll be one less rascal in the world. Bill 
James walked down the aisle with an unsteady step ; as he 
approached the rostrum he took a flask from his pocket, 
slid it across the platform, said "Good-by," and gave the 
preacher his hand. The next morning he mowed the 
weeds, that were almost as high as the eves of his shanty. 
He went down-town, and spent his little money for beef 
instead of beer. His much-abused wife and children had 
not tasted meat for months. During the day he met 
some of his "old chums." They said, "Bill, we know 
you jined church last night, and we're glad of it ; come, 
let's have a little drink on the strength of it. " Bill said, 
"Men, you know the time when I could buy all the goods 
on time that I wanted, but now not a man in town will 
trust Bill James for a nickel. My wife and children wore 
good clothes, and went in the best society ; but now they 
are shunned by all respectable people, because the husband 
and father is a drunkard. 1 have quit. And, by the help 
of God, am going to stay quit. I'll not drink with you," 
And he did not. He lived a new life. That is what 
Scriptural repentance does. 

IV. Reformation is a Condition of Salvation. — Not 
arbitrarily so, but it exists in the very nature of the case. 
The philosophy of it is seen on every hand. The drunkard 
can not be saved from his besotted life until he reforms. 



SERMONS AND ADDRESSES. 427 

The gambler can not be redeemed from a robber life, 
without reforming. The immoral man can not be rescued 
from a life of shame and disgrace, without he makes a rad- 
ical change in his manner of life. This shows that ref- 
ormation is a radical condition in salvation ; so much so, 
that none can be saved without it. " Except ye repent 
[reform], ye shall all perish," is the language of Holy 
Writ. John said : '' Bring forth fruits worthy of repent- 
ance. " This was the only way he could know that they 
had repented. Reformation is the fruit of repentance. 
Ye shall know the tree by its fruit. The following quota- 
tions speak of the kind of fruit it should bear : " Wash me 
thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my 
sin ; for I acknowledge my transgression, and my sin is 
ever before me " (Ps. li. 3, 4). "If we confess our sins, he 
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness " (I. John i. 9). " Father, I have 
sinned against heaven and in thy sight, and am no more 
worthy to be called thy son " (Luke xv. 21). 

V. Restitution is a Very Important Element in Re- 
pentance. — Under the Mosaic law, if a man wronged his 
neighbor he had to make it right, if he had the ability. 
"Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: 
and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal 
thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give zY 
unto Jiim against whom he hath trespassed. But if the 
man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let 
the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, even to the 
priest ; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby an 
atonement shall be made for him " (Num. v. 7, 8). In 
harmony with this principle, Zaccheus restored fourfold, 
if he took more tax from a man than he ought to have 
done. Why did he do this ? Doubtless to convince the 
man that it was a pure error. Certainly he would not 
knowingly take more than he ought, that he might have 
the privilege of giving back four times as much. Jesus 
commended him (Luke xix. 8, 9). 

If a man cheat you out of ten dollars .in a trade, and 
afterward join the church, that man can never make you 
believe his conversion is genuine, until he restores that 



m TWENTIETH CENTVRY 

that he took from you wrongfully. Our thank-offerin^-s 
are not acceptable to God without restitution, when it can 
be made. "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, 
and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught 
against thee ; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go 
thy way ; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then 
come and offer thy gift " (Matt. v. 23, 24). 

A rich man bet with a poor man on the result of the 
election, and won the poor man's team and wagon. After- 
ward he united with the church, but did not enjoy him- 
self. One day he said : ' ' Wife, this thing you call religion 
is all a humbug; I don't see any enjoyment in it ; I am 
the next thing to miserable, and am going to let it go." 
The good wife knew what was the matter, and she mildly 
said: "My dear, what did you do with our hired man's 
team ? " He dropped his head, reflected a moment, then 
went to the man and paid him for his team and for the 
time he had kept it, and enjoyed his religion. He made 
restitution. It brought him peace of mind. 

VI. Death-bed Repentance is a Snare and a De- 
lusion. — It has sent multitudes to perdition. The man 
who puts off his repentance until he thinks he is going to 
die, would serve the devil longer if he had time. He has 
given Satan all the days he could work, and at death's 
door blows the snuff of his life in God's face. What can 
such a man expect of God ? A doctor in Boston noted 
three hundred cases of what was thought to be death-bed 
repentance. Of the number that recovered, three out of 
one hundred remained true to their pledge. 

Waiting for the eleventh-hour call is dangerous and de- 
ceptive. The reason the eleventh-hour man received as 
much pay as those that endured the heat and burden of 
the day, is because he went to work as soon as he had an 
opportunity. The eleventh-hour call was made at the 
house of Cornelius. The Gentiles gladly heard the gospel 
call and joyfully obeyed it. Sinner friend, have you heard 
the call and have not given heed thereto ? The fact that 
God calls is proof that you need to hear. What's the 
matter ? Are you stumbling over some sticks and stones 
in the church ? This will give you no comfort in the 



J^tJRMONS AND ADDRESSES. 42^ 

judgment-day. ReiDent now, aad give the best of your life 
to Him who purchased your redemption by the sacrifice 
of His own life. 

Some want to repent before they believe. If they can 
perform the impossible, we have no objections. Neither 
do we think it would invalidate the faith, nor bar heaven's 
door against them. But to talk about one repenting of a 
sin that he has committed against a being before he be- 
lieves there is such a being, is not good nonsense. " The 
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ; re- 
pent ye, and believe the gospel. " This statement of Jesus 
is thought by some to support the doctrine of repentance 
before faith. If we will remember to whom Jesus was 
talking, it will throw a flood of light on the subject. He 
was addressing the Jews who already believed in God, and 
exhorted them to repentance toward God and faith in the 
gospel, which is equivalent to faith in Jesus. Paul preached 
the same thing when he said, '' Testifying both to the Jews, 
and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith 
toward our Lord Jesus Christ " (Acts xx. 21). 

We must believe in Jesus before we can be sorry we 
did not obey Him. We are commanded to repent. This 
is positive proof that repentance is our work. Reforma- 
tion makes every man better in every way. It links him 
to the divine side, and gives him exceeding great and 
precious promises to cheer and console him here, and to be 
his everlasting comfort hereafter. It pays to obey God if 
there is no hereafter. To reform the life makes man a 
better father, husband and brother ; it makes him a better 
citizen, neighbor and friend. To reform insures you of the 
happiness of the life that now is, and of the life to come. 
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and 
all needed blessings will be added. 

THE END. 



INDEX. 



A. 

A forward movement 291 

Abbott, Dr. Lyman 390 

Abraham 129 

Abdul II 93 

Adams, M. D _ ----- 112 

Adams, Miss Jane Wakefield 113 

Age, Christian - 197 

Africa, South 93 

Alfred the Great. 53 

Allen, Jno. W 121 

Alcohol, King -- 133 

Alexander.- 53 

Amend, Wm - 196 

American Church History 270, 281 

Christians. 93 

Anderson, James 267 

Anti-Libanus -- 53 

Ann Arbor 115 

Apostolic Times 209 

Church, A plea to restore 34 

Church, The... - 35 

Ark, Noah's 153 

Armstrong, Gen 179 

Arius - 271 

Articles of Faith, Thirty-nine...- 275 

Armageddon 133 

Azbill, A. K. 15 

Atwater, Anna Robison 149 

J. M 149, 167 

Augustine 134, 411 

Aylsworth, Prest 137 

B. 

Baalbek 53 

Babylon. 53 

Barton, Clara 128 

Baptism 104 

for remission. Three incontro- 
vertible arguments 346 

Baptist church 406 

Barnes, Albert 344 

Bartholomew's Day, St..... 274 

Baxter, William, 149 

Baldwin, Dr. Olivia A 114 

Beecher, Lyman 279, 413 

Catharine. . 152 

Beardsley, J. O Ill 

Bengal 112 

Benjamin, Mr. and Mrs. Christian. 114 

Beheaded.. .--. 13] 

Bedford church. 149 

Belle Island 263 

Bethany 121 

Bible reading 22 

cost of 23 

chained 272 

Bismarck 153 

Bina 112, 113 

Bilaspur 112 

Birth, The new. 100 

430 



Black belt 

Boys' brigade 

Bonaparte 

Boer --. 

BoorooboolahGha 

Booth, Maud Ballington 

Boyd, Ida 

Bombay 

Boneyard 

Boleyn, Anna 

Brush Run church 

Briggs, Charles A 

British Empire... 

Brown, Miss May 

Bradford, Wm 

Brooks, Robert 

Briney, J. B... 208, 

Briney's Monthly 210, 296, 

Burnside, Gen 

Buddhism, 

Burgess, Mattie W 

Burnet, D. S.. 197, 

Bullard, Massena 

Buford, Wm 



178 
405 
53 
93 
94 
128 
112 
113 
247 
275 
284 
289 
128 
114 
170 
187 
310. 



22 
113 
367 
115 
114 



Campbell, Alexander 34,194, 

195, 197, 283, 335, 336, 337 

Thomas 34, 193,194,197, 228 

Calvin, Jno 38, 124, 134, 337 

Csesar 53 

Charlemagne 53 

Creel, J. C 31, 217 

Cromwell 58 

Cyrus... 53 

Cselo-Syria 53 

Christ of yesterday 56 

of yesterday and man 59 

of yesterday and evil 62 

of to-day 65 

of to-day in the home 65 

of to-day, lifted into rightful 

power 66 

Christof forever 68 

Cunningham, A. B 71 

Church problems of to-day 75 

power. 90 

China 91 

Center of population 86 

Cook, Joseph 125 

C. W. B. M. 109, 159 

Christian Standard 10, 385 

C. W. B. M., First field Ill 

literature 117 

funds raised 118 

office.--. J 18 

origin and organization 109 

national officers 108 

Central Provinces 112 

Calcutta 113 

Cary, Col. Jno. B 116 

Church of Christ 147 



INDEX. 



431 



College, Hiram 14V» 

Oskaloosa 149. IB? 

Central C'liristiau H^ 

English Lutheran lij-' 

Eminence 209 

girl, The 151 

Yale, '^^(3 

Williams and Mary 2<6 

Princeton 276. 279 

Abingdon 252 

Clark, Mrs KiO 

Church, Episcopal 1*19 

Congregational 279 

care of the 312, 825 

how to identify 336 

M. E 336. S37 

Baptist 337 

Lutheran 337 

Presbyterian constitution 344 

of Christ among the negroes 189 

Carver, Jno 170 

Christian Institution, Southern . ISO 

Age --. 197 

Evangelist 209 

Association, Washington 282 

Church, Sycamore St 367 

Science 378 

Contribution of different men to 
the thought of our movement 

for Christian union 193 

Cornelius 214, 219 

Cuba, What I saw in 246 

Christobal Colon Cemetery 247 

Christ? What think ye of -.. 253 

Cornell, J. K 267 

Coincidence, An uncommon 268 

Church? Did A. Campbell build.. 271 

Constantine 271, 411 

Council, Nicene 271 

Catharine of Aragon 275 

Cartright, Peter .-. 279 

Cane Ridge 281 

Church. Care of the 312, 325 

Confession of Faith, Westminster. 344 

Challen,Jas 367 

Card table 380 

Christ in the pew 403 

D. 

David 54 

Dark Ages 124,272, 280 

continent 125 

Diet, First 24 

Diocletian 124, 271 

Deoghur 112, 113 

Deer Lodge 115 

Dickinson, Miss Elmira J 117 

Democrat. 134 

Daily Globe, Mason City .-.. 229 

Dwight, Timothy 276, 344 

D'Alembert 279 

Dublin 281, 285 

Dowieism 378 

Davis. M.M --. 379 

Daughters of Rebekah 380 

Dance hall 380 

Douglas, Fred.. 397 

E. 

Emigration f<7 

Everest, Dean 97, 366; 390 

Evangelist, Christian. 121 



Sunday-school 121 

Emperor William 123 

Ehrenberg, Miss Freddie 114 

Elizabeth, Queen 153 

Episcopal church 169, 275 

Errett, Isaac 110, 335 

Empire, Roman 272 

Edinburgh 281 

Evangelists' antics 307 

Eldership, The 350 

F. 

Fillmore, Prest. - 17 

Formosa. - 25 

Francisville. Town of 46 

Fijilslands 125 

Farrar. Miss Bessie 113 

Frost, Miss Adelaide Gail 114 

Fellowship, Having - 160 

Fish-pond 241 

Farr. Miss Hattie E.... 251 

Franklin, Benj 317. .379 

Fellowship, How to withdraw... 358 
Faith 413 

G. 

Gospel in Japan 17 

Gideon 54 

Greece 54 

Gettysburg 84 

Goodman. Emma. 87 

Grafton, Mrs. T. W 121 

Garrison,.!. H 110, .366 

Gaston, Mrs. C. E IIO 

Graybiel. Marv 112 

Gordon, Miss Elsie H 114 

Gerould, Dr. and Mrs 114 

Gladstone 153 

Gradgrind, Thos 154 

Gaston, .Joseph 195 

Grab-bags 241 

Gibbon 253 

Glasgow 281, 285 

God hear? Whom does 398 

Gai-rison, Wm. Lloyd 413 

G. 

Hepburn, Dr 22 

House of Peers 24 

Heliopolis 53 

Herr Most 87 

Haggard, Alfred H 96 

Mrs. Florence Mary 121 

Huss 124 

Hay, Jno. C 110.263,265, 267 

Rurda 113 

Helena 115 

Hume -- 134, 253 

Hillary. Sir William 189 

Hiram College 149 

Harvard. 152 

Huffman. Zella D 167 

Hodgens, Thomas 167 

Harbinger. Millennial 196 

Hopkins. Mark.. 198 

Halbert, Miss Lueinda 209 

Ho.shour, S. K .-. 263 

Hickock. G 267 

Hell, Give 'em 269 

Henry VIII 275 

Hackett, Dr. - ..., 344 



INDEX. 



I. 

Ito, Count 26 

India 112 

Inquisition, Spanish 247, 273 

Iowa Convention, Southeastern.. 363 

J. 

Japanese-Chinese war 24 

Japan revenue 25 

manufacturing 25 

schools 26 

press 27 

postal system _ 27 

telegraph and railroads 27 

shadow 27 

navy 28 

Joshua 54, 143 

Johnson,B.W 121 

John 121 

Jerome 124 

Jamaica Ill 

Jones, Abner 193, 281 

Johnson, M. S 228 

Jameson, Love H 367 

K. 

Knox, Jno 38 

Kingsbury, Mary 112 

Kinsey, Iiaura V 112 

Kelly, Jas.O 193 

L. 

Luther.... 38, 124, 127, 133, 134, 169, 

272, 273 

Lincoln, Prest 53, 167 

Liquor traffic 79 

LahnRiver 123 

Lackey, Miss Annie Agnes 114 

Longan, Dr. Mary 114 

Lear, W. D 115 

Locke 134 

Liberal 134 

Life-saving service 139 

Livermore, Mary 152 

Lyon, Mary.. 152 

Lowell 153, 155 

Lum School 180,187, 189 

Lehman, J. B 181, 182 

Elsie B.- - 184 

Leverton, Carrie D. 229 

Lee, Gen 245 

Libby prison. 263 

Lowery, B. F 267 

Llorente 274 

Lafayette 280 

Luce, Elder 284 

Loos, W.J 336, 367 

Lord, J. A 366 

Lawson, B. S 367 

M. 

Missionary to Japan, First 18 

Moses - 54 

Morgan, J. Pierpont 93 

Munnell, Thomas 109, 317, 367 

McHardy. A. C 112 

Mahoba 112, 114 

Mitchell, Ben N 113 

McLean, A 114 

Montana .,,,-.^.^.-.^^.^..^..^^... 115 



Moses, Mrs. Helen V 116, 117 

Mountain mission 116 

Mexico 117 

Morgan, L. W 137 

W. A 137 

Moflfett, Lobert .'.. 149 

Martinsville school 180 

Mansion house 186 

Methodists, Republican 193 

Mahoning Association 195 

Millennial Harbinger.. 196, 197 

Morality, will it save? 213 

Mastery, Self 231 

Minister, Retaining the -- 239 

Morgan, J. B 267 

McConnell, N. A 268 

Manchester 281 

Munro, Andrew 283 

Milligan, Robt 317,335, 367 

Macknight, Dr .317, 335 

McGarvey, J. W 335, 366, 367 

McDiarmid, Prest. H 366 

Mohammed --. 397 

Methodist 405, 406 

N. 

Nebuchadnezzar 53 

Nero 124, 271 

Nightingale, Florence 128 

Nicodemus.-- 102, 103 

Northwest Province 112 

Norton, L 112 

Negro of the South 177 

New Lisbon 196 

New York church letter 280 

Nicene creed 285 

Nogood, Prof 407 

O. 

Oskaloosa College 121 

Oxer, Dr 114 

Owen, Robert 198, 289 

Oracle, Christian 201 

Overholt, Dr. Jno 267 

O'Kelly, Jas 281 

Office of faith 418 

P. 
Power, F, D ] 

Perry, Commodore 17 

Persecutions in Japan 21 

Pescadores 25 

Plea, what it means 38 

results accomplislied 44 

application of 45 

Practice, Apostolic 41 

Pearre, Mrs. Caroline N 109, 110 

Philippine Islands _ 113 

Phoenix, J. L 115 

Porto Rico 117 

Prayer, Hour of 117 

Pierson, Dr 141, 14.2 

Picture, Suggestive 157 

Puritans 169, 170 

Pendleton, W. K 196, 197, 367 

Purcell, Archbishop -..198, 289 

Painter, J. H 200 

Palmer, C.L 238 

Paine, Eben 265 

Powell, J. C. ., 267 

Pinkerton 367 

Preachers and preaching 369 



INDEX. 



433 



Perils of the church 382 

Prayer 396 

Phillips,Wendell 413 

Power of faith 419 

Q. 
Quality of failh 418 

R. 

Rains, F.M 15 

Repentance 424 

what is it? 424 

office of 426 

a condition of salvation 426 

death-bed 428 

Restoration 38, 42, 427 

Red Cross 91 

Rhine 123 

Rogers, Mrs. J. K 110 

Randall, C. E 112 

Robinson, P. M.. 112 

Rumsey, Mr. 112 

Ramsden, Miss 114 

Rawson, Miss Susie L ii4 

Republican 184 

Royal life-boat institution 145 

Robinson, Decker D 149 

Harriet Young 149 

Dr. J. P 149 

Robinette, Mrs. 149 

Richardson's Memoirs 167, 196 

Reed, T. L :.... 167 

Rome never changes 246 

Roman Catholic rottenness 247 

Rousseau 253, 279 

Robespierre 253 

Roman Empire 272 

Revolutionary War 279 

Roman Catholic fair 406, 410 

S. 

Shintoism 22 

Stone, Barton W.-.34, 99, 193, 194, 195 

Scott, Walter 34, 195, 196, 367 

Samson 54 

Sunday-school 90 

Times 100 

Satan's work 124 

Savonarola 124 

Somerset, Lady Henry. 129 

Sarah 129 

Sloan, Mrs. R. R Ill 

Spaulding, Miss Alice M. 113, 114 

Streator, M. L 115 

Scott, Mrs. Sarah Hawley 115 

Socrates. 134 

Spencer, Herbert 134 

Stowe, Mrs 154, 413 

Suggestive pictures 157 

Separatists. English 169, 170 

Standish, Myles 170 

Smith, B. L 191 

Capt. Jno 170 

C. C 175 

Southern Christian Institute. .180, 181 

Standard Publishing Co 202 

Self-mastery 231 

Spanish-American War 245 

Stocks 247 

Spanish Inquisition 247 

ScbafE, Philip 289 

Setting things in order..,., 302 



Standard. Christian 366 

Shah of Persia 376 

T. 

Trinities, The 2 

Trinity "" 2 

Thummini 4 

Treaty with China "" 17 

Tappan, Jno 23 

Tokyo, Girls' school at.... '"" 16 

Tours 124 

Tyler, B. B .■::::..""":::::: ^m 

Tory 134 

Tennyson 153, 156 

Thompson, Miss Lura V 159 

Thanksgiving Day, Origin of 169 

Tuskegee Institute 179 

Todd, M. D.... 201 

Treadway, Miss Sarah W 263 

Judge 263 

Torquemada 274 

Te Deum 274 

Tubermore 281 

U. 

Urim 4 

University, Drake 121 

Michigan 115 

Virginia -.116, 196 

Georgia 116 

Kentucky 276 

Transylvania 276 

Chicago 344 

Universalist church 406 

Unitarians 406 

Uncle Tom's Cabin 413 

V. 

Vespasian 78 

Victoria. Princess 127, 129 

Versey. INIr 112 

Vertrees, Josiah 167 

Vedado 246 

Voltaire 279 

W. 

Wesley. Jno 38.124,134.275, 336 

Williams,J.Mud.._50,263,265, 267, 269 

Washington .53 

Woman in the kingdom. 123 

William, Emperor 123 

theSilent 53 

Wyclif 124 

Willard, Frances 129 

W. C. T. U 130, 1.59 

White, Miss Alma _ 111 

Wharton, G.L 112 

Wood, Galen 115 

Woman martyrs J35 

Wickizer, Mrs. Alice Morgan 137 

Wilkinson, B. A 137 

Warren, Sir Charles 143 

Whittier 153 

Washington, Booker T 179 

Word of truth. Rightly dividing 

the 203 

Williams. K. A 245 

Weaver,T. F. 251 

Wilson, Louis C 263 

raid 263 

White, J. C 263, 267 



434 



INDEX, 



Warren, N. M 269 

World's Midnight 272 

Wendling, Geo. R. 298 

X. 
Xavier, Francis 18 



Yeddo bay 



Y. 



17 



Yano,Riyu 21 

Young, Charles A IK 

Y. M. C. A 379, 3S( 



% 



.^ 



.\ 



ui 



DEC 1 1902 



^1 



